The Unbreakable Vow
by ClockworkScales
Summary: Before James saves Snape's life from Lupin, the werewolf, Snape blackmails Sirius and Remus into making an Unbreakable Vow; to act like gay lovers for a fortnight. Eventual slash.
1. The Vow

'Sirius, Sirius!' squeaked Peter Pettigrew, hurrying down the dim tunnel and stumbling on a few roots on the way, 'Sirius!'

'What is it?' Sirius turned towards his friend.

Remus Lupin was huddled against the wall, his face pallid and covered in cold sweat.

'It's… it's… Where's James?'

Sirius scowled. 'He said he was coming in a few minutes – now hurry along and check if the Shack is empty; Moony isn't looking too good.'

Peter nodded frantically, transforming into his Animagus form, his rat's tail whipping out of sight as he scurried into the shadows.

Sirius put his arm around Remus and pulled him along the dark and sloping passage.

'C'mon, Remus…' he was saying, 'almost there… Hold on…'

He had thought he was alone, that was, until a slow voice made him spin around.

'I knew it.' it said defiantly.

Severus Snape barred the way behind them, his wand arm raised and pointing at Remus, a look of triumph across his face.

'How'd you get in here?' Sirius snapped, his eyes flicking from Remus back to the slimy student before him. 'Who told you?'

'Your friend, Potter, told me I'd see something very interesting down here, and he was right… Remus Lupin. I suspected you from the beginning. I thought you looked suspicious, how you disappeared every month, how you –'

'Oh, shut up, Snape and get the hell out of here! Unless you want to die…' a bitter grin flickered across his face, 'I strongly _suggest_ you leave now.'

'What are you going to do about it?' Snape said. 'I can tell his secret to the entire school. How your friend there… your _werewolf_… is incredibly mutated. Not-human. Not only is he half-blood he's half-man. What the school will say…'

He tutted, shaking his head and pointed his wand at Remus.

'Dumbledore knows.' Sirius said sharply, and wrapping an arm around Remus, aided his friend down the tunnel. Snape followed.

'Dumbledore may know…' he said dangerously, striding aside him. 'But the school doesn't. He'll lose all respect from other students… The school governers will be contacted… He'll be sent away… He'll –'

'Shut up!' Sirius growled. Snape's mouth curled into a cruel smile as Remus shuddered and let out a small groan.

'What do you want?' Sirius asked before adding. '_Snivellus_…'

'I want… You both to do something for me…'

'Well, _then out with it_!'

'Patience, Black…' Snape warned before saying.

'I want you both to make an Unbreakable Vow.'

Sirius laughed coldly. 'Yeah, thanks but no thanks. Bye.'

Once again Remus was pulled along the passageway to the Shrieking Shack.

'Do you really want your wolf to be sent away? I'm sure he wouldn't like that… Would you?' Snape addressed the pale figure smartly. 'Mmm… No, I don't think you would.'

Sirius had had just about enough of this.

'Okay, fine, you slimy git!' he roared, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. 'What do you want us to do?'

Snape seemed to pick his torture carefully, a few moments passed in silence and then he said. 'I want you do act like a couple for a week… No… Two weeks.'

Sirius stared at Snape blankly, the words sinking in.

'Get lost, Snivellus.'

Again, Sirius tried to pull Remus along but he didn't budge. Sirius noticed he was very still, his eyes glazed over. He grit his teeth together in frustration_, the Imperious Curse_.

'It seems that Mr. Werewolf is ready.' Snape's voice dripped with malice, his wand pointing at Remus.

'_Expelliarmus_!' Sirius cried, jabbing his wand towards him, but Snape blocked it and Remus slumped on the ground.

'Do it.' Snape said cooly. 'Do it or I'll tell the world about your friend.'

Sirius's eye twitched and he bent down, taking Remus's clammy hand. He frowned.

Snape waved his wand at the limp figure and muttered, '_Imperio_!'

For the second time that night, Remus Lupin was taken control of.

Snape told Sirius to take out his wand and perform the procedure, a horrible, twisted grin upon his face.

'Will you, Black-' Remus's monotone voice sounded despite his wishes, 'act as my lover for an entire fortnight?'

'I …' Sirius began. 'No.'

Snape hissed angrily and slapped Black across the face. 'Do it!'

'Say "Will you, Remus Lupin, abide by my wishes and agree to become my lover as I will become to you?"' Snape demanded.

Sirius complied this time, a frown snaking across his face as a tongue of flame curled around their hands as Remus responded in a droning voice.

'And will you, as I will, comply to this rule within company until the fortnight is up?'

he said angrily and insides churned as Lupin's monotone voice said. 'I will.'

'And will you, as I do, let nobody know about this pact under any circumstances?' Sirius growled finally and forced back the urge to punch Snape in the head as the other flame snaked around their wrists. Remus replied.

'And will you,' Sirius sighed, repeating Snape's wording, 'Will you publicly display this affection, as I will, in every circumstance possible?'

'I will.'

The final flame coiled around their hands and the Unbreakable Vow was made.

Just as Sirius jerked his hand away and Remus fell to the floor, shaking, there was a yell from behind Snape and James came bounding through, throwing himself between Snape, a look of horror upon his face.

As Remu's limbs shook and he screamed in agony, Sirius and James transformed. The stag stood its ground before the creature and turned around, ready to strike. Sirius was growling and gnashing his teeth together, barking at growing figure.

As if in slow motion, the werewolf emerged.

In a single moment it leapt forward towards Snape and James kicked his back hooves into the beast's chest. It flew backwards and the large black dog took over, fighting with the snarling wolf, James nudged a wide-eyed Snape towards the entrance of the tunnel with his antlers, pushing him all the way back.

A rat squeaked at the werewolf's feet and, running away, the werewolf followed, snapping and swiping. The dog followed, as Snape left the tunnel.

_The filthy git..._ the dog was thinking brutally, threading its way into the Shrieking Shack, hearing loud movement from the higher floors. _Blackmailing, slimy, stupid, smelly Snivellus!_

_

* * *

_**A/N: So, a new story. Obviously, it's set in the Marauder Era. I hope you like it. But if you don't, you can write a review too. Some sections, I admit, are a bit awkward. But I think it's different in the other chapters.**


	2. Day 1: Conflict

James, Sirius and Peter were all slumped against the floor, half hanging off broken chairs. Remus Lupin, covered in nothing but a rag, stirred, blinking at the harsh light flitting through the gaps in the boarded windows.

Sirius sat up, staring around at his friends, looking slightly triumphant, for they had survived yet another full moon.

But then he and Remus looked at each other and Sirius remembered the Unbreakable Vow. He groaned in agony at the thought of the day. He slithered over to Remus and forced himself to thread his arm around the ragged boy. Remus frowned.

'Snape made us make an Unbreakable Vow...' Sirius muttered into Remus's ear, which was bleeding slightly.

'I figured as much... Although I was barely conscience, I could still hear what was going on...' he said wearily, staring at the various scratches and bruises which were always the aftermath of a full moon. 'Thank goodness that's all over...'

'What?' Sirius's head jerked. 'The Vow starts today!'

He looked anxiously towards James and Peter who were sleeping soundly. The Vow started today; that meant that in the presence of other people, Sirius and Remus would have to act as lovers. Remus and Sirius always got along, but they were friends, and even though they would have not have done the Vow... well, they had no choice, did they?

'No... no... no...' Remus shook his head faintly. 'Full moon. Tonight it's starting to wax.'

'Oh.' Sirius said blankly. 'Right...' he paused and then said. 'You know, if we play our cards right, this acting... acting... like a pair of flaming homos-'

'Not necessarily flamboyant.' Remus pointed out.

Sirius waved his hand dismissively. 'Whatever. Anyway. Just saying, we can make this work...'

Remus looked interested. 'You mean we can make it look like a prank rather than...'

His friend nodded.

James and Peter groaned and sat up, looking at the two. Sirius grabbed Lupin's hand and grinned. 'Look at this, my lovely Lupin-man is all tired from a fwull mwoon.'

He ruffled Remus's hair appreciatively. James and Peter sniggered, getting to their feet and brushing off as much dust and dirt as they could.

'Good to see you both in such good spirits.' James said.

Peter nodded furiously.

'In fact...' James said darkly. 'So great, because we have to face Snape after what happened last night... God, I hate him.'

He made a choking action in mid air and then sighed.

'Well, best not let good old Snivellus wait then!' Sirius said brightly, pecking Lupin on the cheek. Remus smiled weakly and his hand left Sirius's as the teenager transformed into the great, black dog. This couldn't be so bad, Sirius thought. It's working so far.

*

When they arrived in the Great Hall, they all stared at Snape from across the room, the smug look recognisable from any distance.

Sirius hastily took Remus's hand in his own, clutching tightly and tucking a strand of Lupin's hair behind an ear, before grinning mischievously across the room towards Snape whose face fell slightly.

'Everybody!' Sirius called out to the Great Hall, holding Remus's hand up in the process. Despite his best efforts, Remus couldn't pull it down. Not even his hiss of 'Good God, Sirius, is that absolutely necessary?' could stop him.

'I have an announcement to make!' he called cheerily, as a crowd of Gryffindors and a scatter of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs surrounded them. 'Messrs Remus here and I are a pair of lovely flaming homos!'

The crowd roared with laughter and Sirius basked in the sound before frowning slightly at Remus's dissaproving look.

'Don't worry!' he said loudly to his audience as James and Peter shook in silent giggles. 'He's just a bit disappointed and embarrassed, might I say. A bit of a problem in the downstairs department last night if you catch my drift.'

He felt something whoosh past him, and he knew he had done the wrong thing. Remus was striding away from the Hall, a scowl upon his face.

Sirius yelled out towards his friend - but the crowd couldn't know that. 'Wait! Remus! Lover! Come back! Come and embrace me, you ardent fool!'

For a moment he considered going after his friend, but then he looked at the eager crowd, clearly overjoyed by this display. Suddenly, Sirius turned and left the Great Hall.

He found Remus in the Astronomy Tower, as he often did when he was thinking particularly hard about something. Sirius remembered he always came up here a few days before and after the full moon. He was staring over the stone wall towards the Forbidden Forest, a slight frown on his face.

'Remus!' Sirius panted, having sprinted around the school looking for him.

Remus didn't look around; he crossed his arms and rested his head upon it.

'Remus...' Sirius said again, standing next to him and staring into his face. Remus turned away from him. 'Aw, c'mon Remus! It was a joke!'

'Exactly!' Remus's face shone with fury. 'Exactly, Sirius, exactly! ... Do you think I enjoyed that display? No, I did not. Yes, I understand we were to make it look like a prank, but that was going too far.'

Sirius's lips tugged downwards. The look didn't suit the handsome face. The wind blew into it and Remus turned back towards the edge.

'You're acting like a girl, Remus.' Sirius smirked.

Remus looked serious for a moment but then he suppressed a laugh. 'I guess I am...' he sighed. 'I'm sorry. I understand we have to keep to this vow. I suppose I'm just a bit moody... Full moon last night, you know. But, in future, please refrain from over-doing it like that - like slipping unpleasant innuendos into the conversation-'

'But if we don't use innuendo, people won't believe we're a couple!' Sirius objected. Remus looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

'I thought you wanted this to be like a joke.'

'No, but I do, I just...' Sirius was searching for the right word. 'Well... I mean, not so much... I mean, couples don't always have to be lovey-dovey, do they?'

'They don't have to.'

'Yes, exactly, so... I mean...'

He was faltering under Remus's gaze.

'Okay, Padfoot, stop right there.' Remus instructed, looking slightly alarmed. 'Now, clean up that drool on your robes and tell me again properly what it is you're trying to get out.'

Sirius nodded and watched an owl fly up a tower.

'I'm saying that... Okay, the whole joke idea like this morning didn't turn out so well. So maybe it'll work if we act like we really are a couple - like, some couples joke around about their relationship right? We could do that!'

Remus nodded, listening. 'Yes.'

'People would buy that right?'

Remus looked thoughtful. 'Do they have to buy it? I don't remember Snape making us swear anything about people buying it. Just that we have to act it.'

'I don't think it matters if we make it look like a joke, as long as we're acting like a couple... So even if we're joking around and stuff, as long as it looks like something's up, I think that's okay. Besides, we only have to act like a couple in front of other people, so at least we can talk like this together. If we couldn't, well that'd be hell.'

Nodding in agreement, Remus sunk down against the stone wall, his eyes shut tight. Sirius shoved himself next to him.

'What's wrong?'

'Oh? Oh... nothing...' Remus murmured, smiling slightly. 'I was just thinking about how you agreed to all this. Snape threatened to tell the school... I just want to thank you for... sticking up for me down there. Although we're stuck doing this, it's not as bad as it could have been. At least I'm not being sent home.'

Sirius beamed at Remus who, opening an eye to look at him, chuckled.

The sun shone over head, bathing the two in light and even though it was windy high up, Sirius was soon standing and insisted they went somewhere else, explaining how he could feel his head about to catch fire.

Reluctantly, Remus held out a hand, and Sirius, looking at it for a moment, grinned and took it. He could feel the strange scars on his hand and he squeezed his hand slightly, in encouragement, and they strode down to the library.

As they passed portraits they gasped and pointed, a few shouted out of embarrassment ('Dear boys, Hogwarts does not often nurse such couples... Please hurry along, now!'), and a few were absolutely disgusted.

'Absolutely outrageous!' cried a large man with a dark bushy moustache, sporting a bottle of wine, 'I knew Hogwarts was going to the dogs! This is going way too far! I won't allow boys like you in here, absolutely-damn-not! You get out of my sight this instant!'

Sirius growled at the portrait in scorn, holding out his wand. 'I can remove your sight if you want, would that make it better?' But Remus tugged on his friend's hand and pulled him along the corridor muttering 'No, Sirius, no! He's just a stupid portrait! Ignore him.'

When they arrived in the library, they found James and Pettigrew working on their Herbology essays. Peter kept reading the same page over and over, trying to understand the latin names whilst James pointed and muttered things out over his shoulder, having written an entire page and half of his essay already.

He stared at Sirius and Remus as they entered, eyeing their hands with furrowed eyebrows. He pushed his black hair out of his eyes and adjusted his glasses. 'Mardi Gras already?'

Peter's watery eyes peered up from his book.

Sirius spoke up. 'Sure is. We're the main attraction.'

James nodded slowly, still staring at them scrutinisingly. 'So what's the joke?'

'What joke?' Sirius asked in complete honesty, looking at James blankly. 'There's no joke, Prongsie.'

James threw his quill down onto his page, ink splattering his parchment. 'I don't get why you guys are acting this way... but it's seriously creeping me out so will you just stop it? I mean, it was fine this morning but now...'

'I'm sorry, James.' Remus said quietly. 'I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable about it, but Sirius and I are... Sirius and I are...'

'In love.' Sirius finished his sentence for him.

Peter let out a terrified squeak and James punched him in the arm, clearly uptight.

'Prongs...' Sirius said dangerously. James's dark eyes burned holes in his brain. 'I don't get what your problem is... But, mate,' he laughed sheepishly, 'you have got to let go of the rage. You know, it's not good for your soul if you-'

WHAM.

Peter ran out of the library as Sirius went flying to the floor; James had punched him. He swore loudly and clutched his face. Remus bent down and helped him up, staring wide-eyed at James who was seething.

'Now, James...' warned Remus. 'I know you're very upset but that's no reason to get vio-'

'-No reason to get violent? I'm not being violent, I just went to stretch my arm and Sirius just happened to get in the way!' his voice was dripping with sarcasm and it didn't impress Remus one single bit.

'You know perfectly well what I mean.'

'Well, I don't get what's up with you both!' James yelled, waving his arms around and glaring at Sirius who was rubbing his face. 'IT'S NOT FUNNY.'

'Well, it's not a joke.' Sirius said seriously, speaking for the first time since being punched. 'So you'd better get over it or piss off.'

A few students were peeking from behind bookshelves now, clearly fascinated by this new and interesting conflict. James's eyes were alight with fury and after a few seconds of stunned silence, he gathered his things and stormed out of the room.

Sirius sunk into a chair, nursing his injury as Remus fluttered down and held his face in his hands, observing the red mark.

'That's gonna leave a bruise...' he muttered, shaking his head.

Sirius growled. 'Git.'

'Just because James disagrees with us doesn't mean he's a git.' Remus said fairly.

Sirius shrugged and said bitterly, crossing his arms. 'He's still a git.'

Remus frowned and looked up in surprise as Peter edged towards the table. He picked his things up and spoke so quickly his words strung together.

'I'm-sorry-about-James-but-he's-just... Anyway-I-don't-really-care-about-you-both-being-together-so-bye!'

He flew out of the library as if escaping from a very infectious disease which took the form of a giant purple crocodile.

'Our free lesson is nearly over...' Remus said suddenly, looking at his watch. 'We'd better get going...'

*

Potions flew by without problems, unless you counted the interested looks from various students in the class, staring at Sirius and Remus's sudden closeness. Sirius couldn't ignore them forever, however, and he became quite irritable.

'What?' Sirius said sharply to the people sitting next to them, making them jump and accidentally put a few more lacewings in their potion than necessary. 'Never seen a gay couple before?'

Peter was looking apologetically at them from across the dungeon, sitting next to James who was refusing to look at them. Aside from being ignored completely however, class went well. Remus's quiet demure worked quite well in their vow, his whispered comments to Sirius looked very couple-esque, it was perfect. And although the hot breath in Sirius's ear was slightly uncomfortable, he grew to get over it, just like he grew to get over how often they found their hands becoming sweaty when they held hands and having to wipe the perspiration off on their robes.

When the lesson was over, James strode out of the classroom without casting so much as a glance at the two boys, Pettigrew jogging after him. And no matter how much Remus and Sirius wanted to tell James the truth, they found they couldn't, as the price to pay for breaking an Unbreakable Vow, was unfortunately, death.

They ate lunch on the Astronomy tower, which was empty, so they were allowed to act themselves. As soon as they found themselves to be alone, they broke apart, sighing then Sirius complained about James and Remus pondered over James's behaviour.

'I mean, he only loses control like that over Slytherins... Or in particular, Snape.' he added thoughtfully. Sirius nodded and tore at a ham he had stolen from the Great Hall.

'I think he's being stupid.'

'Yes, but we have to think why he's being stupid!' Remus said exasperated.

'Because he's a git.' Sirius said and Remus shook his head.

'But do you think maybe he's had some bad experiences with homosexual people? He seems to be acting very homophobic, and normally homophobes become that way because they've had bad experiences with gays.'

'Homophobe... Git. Same thing really.' Sirius said again and Remus put his head in his hands.

'Do you know any of any gays in this school?'

Sirius laughed. 'Nope! Wait, unless you count Derrek Peckhard in Slytherin.'

'But that's all an act...' Remus said in frustration, thinking very hard. 'Wait... Sirius?'

Sirius threw some especially gristly piece of ham over the edge of the Astronomy Tower, smiling brightly at the thought of it hitting somebody below, like James.

'Yeah?'

'I heard that Dumbledore was gay...'

Sirius snorted with laughter. 'What! That's crazy. Whoever told you that must have been lying...'

Remus smiled slightly. 'Yes, well... Maybe... I suppose we could always ask James about his-'

'-No way.' Sirius said bluntly. 'He'd never tell us anyway. He doesn't even look at us. Jeez, Snape's probably having a field day over this... Wait a second... Snape!' he scrambled to his feet excitedly. 'Snape!'

'Snape?' Remus asked.

'Yes. Snape!' Sirius repeated. 'What if Snape knew about this thing James had towards gays - what if he knew and he made us do this thing so that we'd all split up or something. It's something he'd do, isn't it?'

Remus looked fascinated. 'That's a very good point... But I don't suppose we could ask him...'

'We could do it...' Sirius suggested, thrilled at the prospect of adventure. 'Or, we could send him an anonymous note, or... better yet, send him a note from someone else asking for us! We could get the truth out of him in no time!'

Remus was suddenly staring at his watch. 'Whilst those are some very good ideas, I'm gonna have to cut you short as we've got Care of Magical Creatures next...'

Sirius helped his friend up and automatically they held hands.

'This is already becoming a habit.' Remus said in slight amusement. Sirius grimaced.

'Well, let's not become too friendly then.'

Remus chuckled as they headed downstairs and out of the castle, heading towards the edge of the Forbidden Forrest where they had class.

'If we're working with Flobberworms again, I think I'll have to strangle myself. Or Snape.' Sirius said suddenly, his robes brushing the grass, the dew seeping into his socks. 'Or James. Whichever's nearest...'

* * *

**A/N: These chapters coming up will vary in length, but will generally be around this size. The sad thing is that I laughed at certain lines in my own story! But, ignoring my opinions, what are yours? What do you think? What works? What doesn't work? I'd love to hear your opinions.**


	3. Day 2: Lily's Wrath

The next day, James still wasn't talking to them. He had even pulled his four-poster's curtains around the bed so he couldn't see Remus and Sirius giving each other looks across the dormitory. Not many other people seemed to have noticed, though.

Everything was going fine until morning break when Lily Evans came strolling across the grounds towards them. She stood over them, her flaming red hair threatening to burst into real flames, and the look she gave them could have wounded even James's ego.

'Is something wrong?' Remus asked her politely, shutting his book on a page about an illegal cross-breed of Flobberworm and Blast-Ended Skrewt.

'Yes, there is something wrong.' Lily said suddenly and Sirius felt the sudden urge to cover his ears; he felt a lecture coming on. 'I just think it's horrible what you're doing to James, tormenting him like that. You should both be ashamed of yourselves.'

'Ashamed of what?' Sirius asked, his eyes boggling in amazement. 'We haven't been tormenting him! He's tormenting himself!'

'What are you talking about?' Lily snapped, her eyes narrowing. 'I've just been talking to him and he said you made him punch you.'

'That dung-head.' Sirius said, avoiding a much harsher insult and throwing his books into his bag. 'He was the one who got angry, not us! Though I must admit he was being a pretty big-'

'Git?' Remus suggested helpfully. Sirius seized the word in triumph.

'Yes, exactly!' Sirius exclaimed, finishing firmly. 'Git.'

Lily looked confused for a moment and then sat down next to Remus, probably deciding that it was dangerous sitting next to Sirius with the ugly bruise on his cheekbone.

'I don't understand...' she murmured and Remus patted her shoulder fondly.

'It's quite alright. We were all a bit confused at first.'

'No, no, no. Not that...' Lily said distractedly. 'I don't understand where this came from... I mean, one day you guys are acting normal and then the next day you say you're ...' she struggled with the word. 'gay.'

'Yes, well...' Sirius said, reaching over and giving Remus's hand an affectionate squeeze. 'We just looked into eachother's eyes and realized... that we...'

'Oh please.' Remus said. 'You make it sound so-'

'Lovely?' Sirius smirked.

'N-no.'

'Charming?'

'The word I think I'm looking for is corny.'

Sirius's face burst with glee. 'Oh, please, where's love without a bit of corn?'

'Still stuck at breakfast apparently...' Remus said.

Lily watched this absurd display with both an urge to laugh and throw up at the same time; she shook her head.

'Oh, Evans, my dear girl!' Sirius cried, waving his arms around as he had only noticed she was there. 'Do you know why James acted like such an enormous prick?'

Lily's green eyes fell.

'Yes,' Remus added. 'Do you know why he acted the way he did? I mean, it's evident he's got some homophobic -'

'No I don't know.' she said defiantly but crumbled under their gaze. 'Okay fine! I do know, but I can't tell you. He made me swear I wouldn't tell.'

She looked slightly bitter, as if she wanted to tell them but, being loyal to James, couldn't. Sirius growled angrily.

'This is annoying.'

Remus nodded. 'I agree. It would be a lot easier to approach him with the problem if we knew what the problem was.'

'Well, I already told you that I can't tell you... So you're gonna have to find out some other way.' Lily said tartly, standing up and looking at the two as if they were bombs about to explode at any minute. 'So don't ask me about it again because I absolutely can't stand it when people badger me about things!'

She looked slightly deranged and then, her eyes darting across the grounds, strode off. Sirius strained his neck to see where she was going and his eyes widened in shock.

'What's wrong?' Remus asked, staring in the direction Sirius was looking. 'Oh.'

'She's... She's... Why's she talking to him!' he spat. 'That's positively the most foul, the most evil, the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!'

'Well, she's not bound to having friends in Gryffindor. She's allowed to have friends in other houses too.' Remus said. 'Even if they are in Slytherin.'

'Even if they're named Severus Snape?' Sirius sneered. 'Snivellus?'

But from the looks of it, Snape and Lily looked very angry with each other, they were fighting; this brightened Sirius's spirits.

Then, abruptly, they heard Lily scream and slap Snape across the face.

'How DARE you!'

As Sirius let out a noise of delight, she hurried away whilst Snape watched after the red-head looking sulky. Lily stormed down a corridor where she was intercepted by James. They both turned away at this point.

'You know, I kind of miss being a part of the main group.' Sirius said sadly, peering into the book Remus had opened again. 'You really miss out on some things.'

'I expect we'll find out about it when James has... gotten over his little prejudice.' Remus said calmly, turning the page.

'I wouldn't say it's prejudice… more a matter of pride. Though I suppose the two go hand-in-hand, don't they?' said a drawling voice making the two boys jump in alarm. Snape was staring at them, a slightly pink tinge to his face that made Sirius smirk. Remus shut his book again, apparently irritated from being distracted by Snape.

'What do you want, Snape?' Remus asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. Snape merely stared at them down his crooked nose.

'I was merely wondering how our famous lover-boys were going?' he said silkily.

Sirius leapt into the air and did something Remus wouldn't have even dared of doing; he blew the curtain of dark hair out of Snape's face and whispered heavily.

'Well, if you're looking for a famous-lover, I'm your boy.' he breathed all over Snape's face that flushed with silent fury. Remus stifled a laugh.

'What are you laughing at werewolf? You're lucky I don't tell the school about this...'

Sirius rolled his eyes, flicking the comment away as though it hadn't made Remus's skin paler. 'You've had your fun. Besides, didn't James save your life down there? You should show him - and us - some respect, don't you think?'

'I will never have respect for you and the Potter cronies as long as I live.' hissed Snape, his cold breath sliding across Sirius's face like poison. Sirius's face darkened and his and Snape's gaze seemed to spark with electricity.

Remus stood up.

'By the way, Severus. Do you happen to know why Lily hit you back there? Might I inquire as to what you said?'

Although he was polite, Snape's nose crinkled and he jerked his head irritably.

'You may not. Anyway, I see you two are getting quite cosy together... I'll just leave you be.'

And with a quick sweeping motion he was gone.

'Well...' Remus said, putting his head against Sirius's shoulder as he sat down. 'I don't suppose we'll be hearing news directly anymore.'

'Yeah.' Sirius agreed, pulling a spell-book out of his bag to study. 'Yeah, we'll be putting all our trust in the grape-vine, now, eh?'

*

They were receiving more and more looks as the day continued, as if people were no longer thinking it was all a joke, an act, and were starting to wonder if they really were lovers; the funny thing was that they really weren't.

In the Gryffindor Common Room, where Remus had found himself comfortable lying in Sirius's lap in front of the fire, a group of four or five people (mostly girls) huddled around them and after five minutes of nervous coughs and whispers Sirius could feign sleep no longer.

'Did you all want something?' he asked, as a scrawny Gryffindor girl with heavy eyelids and brown hair stood forward.

'We were just wondering... If it's really true...' she murmured shyly, her face turning crimson. 'Is it true that you and... um...'

'Remus.' Sirius prompted.

'Yes.' the girl said breathlessly. 'We were wondering it if was true that you two are... are...'

She faltered and a boy a year younger than them shouted. 'Gay lovers!'

The girl gasped as if he had announced that all women were to get their hair shaved off for a St Mungos charity campaign.

Remus, yawning loudly, stretched and said. 'Yes, it is true.'

They all looked to Sirius for confirmation.

'Yes.' he said exasperated. 'Yes it is. Tell your friends. We're gay. We're gay and we're proud. Now go away; we were quite peaceful here before you interrupted.'

The group hurried away very quickly and spoke in hushed whispers. Remus lay back down against Sirius's thigh, staring up at Sirius reproachfully.

'That was a bit rude, you know.'

'Eh.' Sirius waved a hand and shut his eyes. 'I don't think it matters. Either way they're dumbstruck that the man of their dreams is actually a gay going after a lunatic werewolf.'

Remus chuckled and dozed off, a book resting against his chest.

'This isn't half bad you know.'

'What is?' Sirius asked.

'Being in a relationship like this.' Remus sighed blissfully and Sirius opened his eyes, staring at the boy, his face with scars and cuts. He frowned.

'I guess it is sorta nice. Even though you're a guy.' Sirius added and Remus laughed.

'Yes, well, aside from that. Ignoring that. I've...' Remus blushed slightly but kept his face composed. 'I've never really had a girlfriend before.'

'Are you saying that I'm a girl, Moony?' Sirius said in mock outrage.

'Just saying it's nice to be close to someone.' Remus said plainly. 'That's all.'

Sirius nodded and shut his eyes again. 'Hey, it's like, what? Eleven o'clock at night now right?'

Remus didn't even bother nodding. 'Uh-huh.'

'So we should probably go back to the dormitory's, right?' Sirius asked, feeling way too comfortable to move a muscle. The dormitory was warm and empty, and leaning against an armchair didn't feel half bad, neither did Remus lying on his leg. He shrugged, the fire was making him extremely drowsy.

'Probably...' Remus murmured.

In the end, they stayed downstairs twenty minutes, but then Sirius complained that his leg was going numb and was about to explode and he and Remus headed up to the dormitories for a good night's sleep. Too tired to do anything, they flopped onto their beds, falling asleep, not even bothering to change into their pyjamas.

* * *

**A/N: I love the Marauder's Era because we're exploring a world uncovered by J.K Rowling. Oh, and I almost forgot, none of these characters are mine - so don't sue. Though there are a few made up characters as we go along (I suppose the random Hogwarts students who are un-named are mine), I'll let you all know who they are, though you'll probably be able to tell.**


	4. Day 3: James's Vendetta

The next day was different because of a few things. For one, when they arrived at breakfast (the Great Hall's ceiling grey and cloudy), it was clear everybody had heard they were together and in the words of Sirius "gay and proud".

The only problem was that they really weren't, and the irony of this was too much. But as they valued their lives a lot more than their reputation, they stuck to the story, telling anybody who asked how completely in love they were.

'Yes,' Remus was saying, fluttering his eyelids a bit too much at Sirius. 'Yes, sometimes when I can't sleep he strokes my stomach to calm me down.'

'Mmm, That's right...' Sirius moaned to a few startled looking first years. 'Yes, sometimes when we go to the showers together we-'

'That's quite enough.' Remus said suddenly to Sirius, looking at him sternly. 'Do you want to give these poor children nightmares?'

Sirius stared hungrily at the first years, licking his lips. 'Well, well, well, Remus... Maybe I do...'

They screamed as they ran and Sirius laughed heartily.

'I can't believe some people still don't believe it.' Sirius muttered, as he sat down at the Gryffindor table and filled his plate with bacon and eggs, stuffing them in his mouth as if he hadn't eaten for days. Remus watched in disgust as some egg yolk dribbled down his chin. 'I mean, we're hanging out all the time - holding hands and stuff - that's pretty gay, don't you think?'

'Well, you _were_ boasting to be the most charming straight man in fifth year.' Remus pointed out. 'It's only natural they'd be uncertain or, in the least, a bit suspicious...'

With a loud huffing noise, Lily sat down next to Remus, staring dejectedly at the toast she had thrown onto her plate. 'I'm so sick of him!'

'Who?' Sirius sprayed the table with bits of egg. 'Who?'

Lily stared at him in revulsion.

'I can't admit I'm not worried about James.' Remus said kindly and Lily shook her head.

'No, I don't mean James - though I guess he is a bit annoying too-' Sirius grinned. '- no, no I mean Snape.'

'Snape?' said Remus and Sirius together, immediately thinking back to when Snape had been slapped across the face by the girl sitting next to them.

'Yes, Snape!' Lily cried, her hair flying about as if it wanted to attack Snape too. 'He's been driving me insane, dropping stupid comments about James's -'

She stopped abruptly. She had said too much.

'James's what?' Sirius demanded. 'James's what?'

'I- nothing.' Lily said quickly. And she finished her toast and left to the library. Sirius stared after her, the Great Hall's ceiling pouring rain now.

'Okay, I don't care if it's raining outside, but something is seriously up in the Lily-James-Snape triangle.' Sirius said hurriedly in a hushed voice. 'I say we investigate. And thank god it's Saturday, that's all I can say.'

'Well, you can't say much with egg in your mouth...' Remus said without thinking. 'But okay, I suppose we could... What do you suppose we do? We can't just spy on them; we're bound to be seen.'

'We could use the Cloak.' Sirius said quickly, his master plan unravelling on his plate as he put his knife and fork down. 'I know it's stealing, but we're not really stealing it - we're borrowing it. We're giving it back afterwards.'

Remus was obviously doing some very fast thinking because in a few moments he seemed to have made up his mind.

'Okay. Fine. We'll use the Cloak.' he said quietly. 'But if we get caught... it's all your fault.'

'I'm glad you have that faith in me, Moony.' Sirius said, getting up and tugging on Remus's hand and leading out of the Hall, turning away from the stares. 'Let's go.'

*

Once they had the Cloak on, Sirius pulled the Marauder's Map out of his bag, saying he liked to keep it handy to avoid James in corridors - only this time they were looking for James. Or at least Snape. Hopefully both.

'This can go wrong in so many ways...' Remus muttered as they snuck out of the Common Room.

'Yes.' Sirius confirmed. 'But that hasn't stopped you from doing any of it, has it?'

They were lucky there were only two of them under the Cloak because the silvery fabric licked their ankles. As they passed the portrait of the drunk man with the moustache Sirius murmured, 'Just let me hex him.' but Remus pushed him forward.

Suddenly, in the Potions aisle, they heard voices coming from a table on the other side where the Marauders would normally do their homework. Lily and James's voices floated through the shelves.

'Just go and talk to them, James.'

'No. No way.'

'You can't act like this for long! You miss them! I know you miss them...' Lily was saying.

'I miss them.' Peter piped up.

'Shut up, Wormtail.' James snapped at the chubby boy. 'If you miss them why don't you stay with them?'

'Because... because then I'd miss you!' Peter exclaimed breathlessly. Lily ignored him.

'Look. I know you miss them. Don't try to deny it.' she told James sternly. 'If I were you, I would have told them about that stupid incident already.'

'Well, good thing you're not me then, hey?' James said half-jokingly and there was a banging noise. Lily had slammed a book on the table.

'Stop being such a prick.' she said. 'I'm really getting sick of you. You're being really immature. I don't have a problem with Remus and Sirius being together-'

'Yeah well... that's you.' James said softly.

'-and neither should you.' Lily finished. 'They're your friends, James...'

James didn't say anything for a while and Sirius and Remus exchanged glances under the cloak.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps behind them and they jumped a few meters in alarm. Snape had the side of his head pressed against the book shelf.

So now they weren't the only ones spying... But why would Snape be spying if he already knew the story?

'Are you done?' James had spoken. Sirius thought Lily was going to hit him, but unfortunately, he was not granted this luxury.

'Yes.' she said stiffly. 'Yes I am.'

There were footsteps as she came storming past the Potions aisle... THUMP.

She had run into Snape in blind fury. 'Oh.' she said, grimacing. 'It's you.'

Snape nodded and pulled her away as if in a severe rush. 'You know what I was saying to you yesterday?'

'Yes.'

'I didn't really mean it.'

Sirius and Remus winced as Lily's eye twitched horribly.

'Didn't really mean it, huh?'

'Yes.' Snape gasped; apparently relieved she had understood his problem. But he was dead wrong.

'Well you can just go shove your wand up your scrawny little-'

'Now, now, Evans. Don't be like that.' Snape said quickly, his dark eyes darting.

'Don't be like what? Don't be like what?' she screeched madly. 'Well I'm sorry if I'm being like ... this! Because this is just me and you'd better learn to put up with it, Severus.'

She tried to get past him but Snape's hand had stretched out and grabbed her arm. 'Lily...'

There was a moment when it looked like Lily was going to punch him but instead, her face softened and she smiled weakly. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry, it's just... this whole thing is driving me nuts. It really is.'

'I know.' Snape was saying, 'I understand.'

Remus looked to Sirius whose mouth looked like it had hit the floor. He looked disgusted, fascinated and ready to find the nearest toilet.

Lily let out a small sob and flung her arms around Snape's neck. They both noticed Snape's smirk from behind the red hair and Sirius's insides coursed with loathing.

They drew apart and then ... as though this scene had been rehearsed from a movie, Snape brought his head toward's Lily's...

Sirius's face contorted into a more advanced stage of nausea.

... and he kissed her.

The kiss was slow, drawn out, though slightly clumsy and as he drew away, Lily's face etched with fright and confusion.

'Lily?' Snape said, moving to touch her face but she shot backwards and made an odd squeaking noise. 'Are you okay?'

Lily's eyes were wide and she shook her head.

All of a sudden they could hear a yell. 'WHAT THE HELL?'

James had flung himself into the aisle, sending a few books flying off shelves in the process. He grabbed Snape by the collar of his robes and SMACK. The punch was just like Sirius's only ten times worse. He was staring down at Snape, and, as if he had just remembered he could do magic, pulled out his wand.

'Prepare to die, Snivellus.' James snarled. Snape smirked.

'Jealous are you?'

'Shut up!'

There was a bang and Snape spluttered, spitting soap suds onto stone. Sirius could hardly keep himself still; he was almost jumping in the air. Remus had to keep pinching him to keep him still; he would rather face another full moon than get caught.

'James, be reasonable. It's just as much his fault as mine!' Lily said and James spun around.

'You're DEFENDING him?'

'Well...' Lily said lamely. 'Yes.'

Peter was biting his nails at the corner, watching the scene fearfully.

Remus muttered in Sirius's ear. 'We should probably get out of here, don't you think?'

'No way!' Sirius mouthed. 'I'm not missing the fun!'

'I can't believe you'd...' James gasped. 'After I told you... after I confided in you...'

Lily scowled at him. 'I can have friends like Severus you know.'

'Yeah...?' James said aggressively, unaware of how stupid he looked. 'Yeah? Yeah? Well... Whatever!'

Sirius couldn't stop himself at this point; he snorted with laughter. Snape's head jerked towards the noise.

'Did you hear that?'

Peter spoke up, his face apologetic. 'Oh. I sneezed.'

'No.' Snape snarled. 'No, not you.'

In a few, horrid moments, Sirius thought they were safe, but that was until Snape drew his wand and pointed it in their direction. With the noise and force of a powerful wind, the Invisibility Cloak flew off revealing Sirius and Remus, their stomachs imploding, their faces stunned.

James, Peter, Lily and Snape all stared at them as the silvery Cloak fluttered the floor.

Jame's face was livid, Peter's face was surprised, Lily's was filled with horror and Snape's filled with a mix of accomplishment and hate - which went as well together as spaghetti and mustard flavoured ice-cream.

Sirius knew they were totally, 100%, doomed.

*

They ran.

As soon as the cloak had been lifted, Sirius had taken Remus's arm and bolted, scooping up the Invisibility Cloak on the way. They had sprinted all the way past the staring faces and up to the Astronomy Tower. They panted, clutching their chest, Sirius supporting himself on the ledge, and Remus lying on the stone ground.

'That was lucky.' Sirius breathed heavily. Remus took a great shuddering breath.

'I shudder to think what will happen the next time they see us...' Remus said, trying to catch his breath. After a few minutes of gulping air, Sirius sat against the wall, pulling Remus into a sitting position.

'You alright?' Sirius asked, concerned. Remus chuckled and then coughed.

'Yes... Yes, I'm fine.' Remus's shoulders shook, 'Yes, I get quite fit hanging around you and James.'

'Yeah... Peter's not exactly what you'd call fit.' Sirius grimaced, relieved his friend was not about to have an asthma attack.

'Yes, well... He's always been a bit... uh... chubby. But I won't deny he is fit.'

They sighed and closed their eyes and Sirius fiddled with the bundle of cloth that was the Cloak, dreading the moment when they had to return the Gryffindor common room.

*

Later that evening, having decided it was safe enough to show their face (at least without being sent to the Hospital Wing), they arrived outside the Gryffindor Portrait. The Fat Lady eyed them maliciously.

'Caused quite an upset you lot did.' she said, a glint in her eye. Remus and Sirius exchanged glances and then Sirius ruffled Remus's hair.

'Yeah, well... You know us...' Sirius plastered a giant grin on his face. 'Can't keep us apart.'

_'Pixie wings_.' Remus said and the Fat Lady swung open.

For a moment, Remus thought Sirius wasn't going to follow him, but after a few moments, he shook his head and jumped in after him. James was nowhere to be seen. Lily was staring from her armchair, her eyes full of tears into the fire and Peter was patting her arm reassuringly, murmuring to her as she nodded numbly. Sirius and Remus approached Lily, feeling slightly guilty.

'We haven't caused you too much trouble, have we, Lily?' Remus said and Lily shook her head, a tear escaping down her chin. Peter patted Lily's hand awkwardly as she said in a croaky voice.

'No...' her voice shook. 'Not you. Not you...'

Sirius bent down in front of Lily, his hands placed delicately on her knees, staring into her brilliant green eyes. Lily looked at him and smiled weakly.

'No, it's... Well, you saw... with Snape.'

Her voice trembled.

'It's all Snape's fault!' Peter said in a high-pitched voice, looking slightly flustered. 'You know what he did! I expect you saw it. Yes, he _kissed_ her. Kissed Lily!'

'No!' Lily said loudly, startling them all as she stood up and faced Peter. 'No it's not that he kissed me, it's that I let him... Oh...' she gasped. 'James was so mad... so mad...'

She choked on fresh tears and Remus kindly sat her back down on the chair, the fire roaring in appreciation. Sirius looked at Lily with a pained look.

'What? What did I do? I'm allowed to have other friends, can't I?' Lily wiped her face frantically on her sleeve. 'I mean... _He's_ the one who...'

She glanced at Remus and Sirius and gave a small sniff. Remus bent down and put his arm on her hand but her small hand shot away - she covered it up by wiping her face. Sirius had noticed this though and he made a small growl at the back of his throat.

'What? Aren't you guys mad with me too? Going to -?' Lily shook her head in defeat.

Sirius's threw back his head and laughed. 'No, we're not mad. It's not your fault Snivellus is a slimy-'

'-No don't be like that! He's really not all that bad. He's just... misguided...' Lily trailed off, and Sirius's jaw clenched.

'Wait. What did James say to you?'

Lily didn't answer and Peter answered his question, looking fretfully at the girl slumped in her seat.

'He said... he said first it was you and Remus, and now her. He said stuff like "'I can't trust anybody anymore" and then... and then... Well... He wasn't very nice. Said some real nasty stuff about Lily, and you guys... He said-'

'I'm quite sure that's enough.' Remus said suddenly, looking at Lily anxiously.

They all stared at the red-head who gave a small hiccup. She got to her feet.

'I'm sorry you all had to see that.' she said in a small voice. 'James really wasn't... He's really acting weird... I mean... Just because of this one thing... He's really got some hormones to control.' she added gruffly, crossing her arms.

As she left to her dormitory and Remus, Sirius and Peter were wrapped in silence, Sirius pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Peter.

'Give this back to James, will you?'

He grabbed Remus's hand and pulled him up the stairs.

* * *

**A/N: I like this chapter because there are some small comedic elements (at least, I think they're funny) hidden in there... Like with Sirius and the eggs and the comment about Pettigrew's weight... I don't know, just there are some Remus and Sirius moments which I think are quite amusing. Thank you for letting me know what you think! I'll leave the story like this a day or two before I post the next one so people who have just found it don't get too discouraged.**


	5. Day 4: Hormones

Since the school had heard about Remus and Sirius's sudden relationship, a few people surrounded them at breakfast, asking questions and though Remus answered calmly, Sirius grit his teeth together, gnawing on his toast as if it were a turkey.

Then Sirius heard a pair of voices. No - three voices and he slid down in his chair. Three girls nudged him in the back, forcing him to turn around. His brow creased.

Gloria, Emma and Raven stood before him. The faces of Sirius's ex-girlfriends eyeing him like a dirty animal, smirking at him.

'What?' Sirius asked.

The girls exchanged glances. 'We don't really believe you two are together.'

Remus looked mildly interested at the girls, drinking some Pumpkin Juice as Sirius turned away from them and returned to his toast.

'Well, that's too bad because we are.' Sirius said to the milk jug rather than the three standing behind him.

'No, well. We want proof.' said Gloria, throwing back her glittering ginger hair, her eyes flashing dangerously. 'We think this is all an act, no matter what you say.'

She was speaking quite loudly and very clearly so a few heads turned to watch the scene. A few other people stood up and nodded, backing her up.

'Yeah...' said a pointy-faced Ravenclaw. 'Yeah! I agree! All you guys do is hang out a lot and hold hands. Sirius when you were with these girls...' he motioned to the women. 'You were snogging them around every corner! Everywhere! Showing them off in public.' he said rather bitterly, as if he wished he had been Sirius in the corridors instead.

Sirius gulped and turned to Remus, looking slightly frightened.

'We don't think kissing would be a good idea...' Remus said slowly as Sirius nodded in encouragement, 'Because not a lot of people are ... Okay with us... So it would cause a huge disruption...'

'That's all talk!' cried Emma and she tugged at Sirius's hair and swung him around. 'I know that's a load of crap. I know you're not gay. I know because when you made love to me...' she didn't seem embarrassed at all, all the more proud - proud of having Sirius. 'When you made love to me... you _liked_ it!'

'Hear, hear!' screeched Raven, her sharp voice threatening to break various glasses.

There were a few other yells of agreement and Sirius rubbed his scalp where Emma had grabbed him.

_'Prove it_!'

'KISS HIM!'

Other cries filled the hall and Remus saw Snape staring across the room, a devilish grin on his face. Remus scowled.

'Fine!' he yelled to the crowd as Sirius cowered in his seat. 'Fine, everybody!'

He forced Sirius to a standing position, staggering slightly on the bench, and looked into his eyes, searchingly, pleadingly, agonizingly. He didn't really want to do this…

'If none of you believe us, we'll prove it! But do you any of you need to kiss your lover to prove you love them? No, you do not!'

In the attentive crowd, a few people hung their heads guiltily, whereas others merely screamed derisively.

'Just do it, already!'

'Kiss!'

A few people whistled and Remus held Sirius's face firmly in his clammy hands, looking into his fearful face. The next few moments were agonizing, their faces drawing nearer, the yells growing louder, their lips parting slightly and meeting unwillingly. As they slid their lips over the others', they were well aware of the many people watching.

The thought that if they stopped, they would die fluttered into their minds and suddenly, the same flame which grew inside of Remus seemed to grow in Sirius too; the will to live. If they stopped kissing, they would perish; it would prove they didn't love each other, it would break the Unbreakable Vow. Though Sirius parted with Remus and gasped fresh air and their breathing grew raspy, they continued to kiss. Their lips parted wider to allow entrance to an even deeper kiss, a more passionate one, and although images of kissing girls, pretty girls, flashed in front of their eyes, they couldn't trick their minds from the truth; that they were in fact kissing each other, kissing men. Their mouths parted further and their tongues lashed against each other wildly, their lips clinging together for dear life. After a few moments, the pace slowed, and they drew apart, panting. Sirius was staring determinedly at Remus and he, though looking tired and slightly alarmed, grinned in spite of themselves. They had done it. It didn't matter that their mouths were filled with anothers' peculiar taste... They had succeeded. They had won.

A few people cheered and wolf-whistled. The Ravenclaw boy departed without a further word and Sirius's ex-girlfriends scowled and strode away, apparently immensely disappointed. The crowd which had formed grew holes and eventually returned to their house tables with looks of awe on each of their faces.

Sirius smirked at a few more people standing there amongst them and - his heart thudded against his chest - James. The messy-haired boy's eyes were wide in shock; then they narrowed. He looked deep in thought. Peter, next to him squeaked and hurried after him as he walked away; Lily however, bounded forward and flung her arms around Sirius and Remus.

'Wow!' she said, beaming. She was breathless, though not as much as Remus and Sirius. 'Wow!'

Remus smiled at her as she gave each of them enormous hugs.

'I'm so proud of you guys!'

'Proud?' Sirius ogled, 'I think you mean... extremely turned-on!'

He grinned at Lily foolishly and she laughed.

'I mean, I didn't think you guys had the courage to do that in front of all those people. That's amazing.'

Remus touched his lips with a finger. 'Hmm... Yes, I suppose that was quite an achievement.'

He caught Snape's slightly disgusted face across the Hall and chuckled as he stormed away.

Sirius took a deep breath and sighed loudly. 'Man!' he stretched, putting an arm around Remus's neck. 'It's tough work, being gay.'

He caught Remus's eye and winked. Remus chortled.

'Remus...' Lily was saying, looking extremely curious. 'You looked a bit clutchy there for a moment... What was that about?'

Remus scratched the back of his head nervously. 'Oh that...'

'I didn't notice.' Sirius shrugged. 'You're a pretty good kisser, really.'

'Oh.' Remus smiled weakly, apparently flattered. 'Well, you see... That was my... my, uh...'

Lily was hanging on his every word, and Sirius ruffled Remus's light hair with the hand draped over his shoulder.

'That was my first kiss.' Remus said in a quiet voice. Lily gasped.

'And you did that in front of all those people?' she said in amazement. 'Wow, I'd never have been able to do that. I mean, James and I's first kiss...'

She stopped suddenly.

'You kissed James?' Sirius said loudly to her dismay. 'WHEN?'

'Shhh!' Lily hushed him, sitting them down on at the Gryffindor table and speaking in quiet tones. Sirius took a small roll of bread and tore at it.

'Okay it was... A few months ago. He had finished his Quidditch game and I had gone into the change rooms to congratulate him. Only, I mean, everybody else was out already but he wasn't, so I thought it was alright.' she blushed slightly and looked at the two. 'He... He err... Well, you see... I went in there and told him how great I thought he had been and he sort of... touched my face...' her fingers brushed her cheek as she remembered. 'And he said "Evans..." in a kind of... well, _husky_ voice and we... we kissed.'

Sirius blinked at her, shoving the rest of the roll into his mouth. 'Then what? Give me details, woman, details!'

'Well, thing is after we kissed I kind of stormed out on him.'

Remus raised an eyebrow. 'Well, what happened to you and James?'

Lily looked hysterically at her two friends. 'Nothing! Nothing happened! We haven't talked about it since!'

Sirius whistled, looking astonished. 'Wow... And then you go and snog Snivellus... Wow...'

'May I ask what you have told Severus about that kiss?' Remus said suddenly, seriously. He had a feeling he knew what the answer was but he had to be sure...

'I haven't... I haven't told him anything.' Lily finished sadly and Sirius's mouth formed an 'o' in understanding.

*

'Classes tomorrow.' Sirius groaned, stretching back in his chair in the library and wincing slightly, looking extremely uncomfortable. They were sitting at a table next to a window, having deciding against the Marauder's main study-table hidden in between a mass of bookshelves, just in case James came along and threw a hissy fit. Or rather, just looked at them and then walked away like something had been shoved up his behind.

Remus eyed him in concern. 'What's wrong?'

'I just told you!' Sirius said, adjusting his seat. 'Classes tomorrow!'

'No...' Remus said slowly, looking the rugged Gryffindor up and down. 'There's something wrong with you...'

Sirius frowned. 'No there isn't.'

'Yes, there is.'

'No, there isn't.'

'You're lying, Padfoot.'

'Maybe you're just bad at judging what's truth and what's not!' Sirius hissed.

Remus gave a satisfied smirk and slammed his book shut. 'Why are you being so defensive if it is the truth?'

In the moments where Remus's eyes hovered over Sirius, Sirius leaped in his seat, causing a few students looking for books in the aisle next to them to drop anything they were holding.

'Fine!' he snarled. 'Fine, then, Remus. If you're so desperate to know...' he leaned down in his chair and whispered in Remus's ear. The werewolf's eyes widened as Sirius's hot breath caressed his ear.

'Really...?' Remus asked, startled, and Sirius nodded grimly. 'Well, that's no good...'

'You're telling me!' Sirius threw his arms in the air. 'As a teenaged man -' Remus snorted. '-you understand that... Well, basically, my needs have skyrocketed! It's seriously damaging my aura of coolness.'

Remus looked slightly amused. 'Poor Padfoot.'

'Don't "poor Padfoot" me, what about you Moony? Mr wolf-man?' Sirius said brutally and Remus was still for a moment. He seemed to have struck a nerve. 'Oh, sorry, Remus. Just... I'm being a prat. Ignore me.'

Remus sighed. 'Yes... Well, I understand you feel moody because of your...' he searched for an appropriate word. 'Un-satisfied urges... but... Well... would you rather have sex with a girl and die or stay with me and not die?'

A steely grin flashed across Sirius's face. 'Sex and die.'

'I have a feeling you'd say that...' Remus said solemnly, opening his book. 'Well, I suppose you'll have to deal with this problem somehow or... I don't know... We have a week and a bit left, can you hold on till then?'

'What if nobody wants me then? Since I've snogged you, I mean - no offense...' Sirius added hastily.

Remus looked extremely thoughtful. 'Well, this is another problem added to the barrel.'

Sirius sighed and sunk into his seat, wincing slightly. 'How come you're so in control? You've never had a girlfriend and you don't seem to need one either...'

'Well, the fact that I'm a werewolf has nothing to with it, certainly...' Remus trailed off.

They continued to study in the drafty room, Sirius twitching occasionally in his seat as he scribbled on his parchment and Remus observing the individual dust motes in the air, lit from the sunlight outside.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so Gloria, Emma and Raven are Sirius's ex-girlfriends in this story. So these are the characters I made up - they seem a bit stereotypical but eh, better than a Mary-Sue. Or do stereotypes count as Mary-Sues? Eh, either way, they're my characters and they don't play major roles, so I don't think it's too much of an issue. Reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated.**


	6. Hidden Truths and Secrets

The next half a week passed without any major problems, except for Sirius who was increasingly disappearing to the bathroom in-between classes to deal with his repressed urges. Remus waited outside for him, resting against the wall and watched in mild amusement as Sirius exited, his face drenched in water. 'Needed to cool down,' he would tell Remus, and then they'd be on their way.

It was on Thursday when Lily approached Remus and Sirius in the courtyard, who were resting their heads together, and gave them the news.

'James wants to talk to you both.' Lily explained, sitting down next to them. Sirius's face lit with a quiet excitement.

'Ready to apologize is he?' he asked and Lily shook her head.

'I have no idea. For all we know he might want to beat you up again after your kissing-display Sunday.' Lily said matter-of-factly. 'By the way, speaking of kissing...'

'Did you speak to James and Snivellus yet?' Sirius asked and Lily shook her head.

'No. No, I was going to ask, why haven't you guys kissed again? I mean, after that thing in the Great Hall... I mean, you guys proved yourselves didn't you? Showed all of those people who doubted you that you really do like each other...'

Remus's eyebrows rose as he explained.

'Yes, well... See, we don't want to draw attentions to ourselves again...'

'Especially so soon afterward.' Sirius added.

'Yes. We've been keeping our make-out sessions nice and private.' Remus nodded, even though they had been doing no such thing.

Lily nodded in understanding.

*

Sirius and Remus spent their free class sitting up at the Astronomy Tower, staring down at the people doing Care of Magical Creatures below, watching the people scream and hurry out of the Green Houses as a large red spiky plant's feelers crept out of the door. Remus ran a hand through his light brown hair and sighed happily.

'You know today marks the first week gone.' he told Sirius who gave a small grin.

'Yeah, what a week, huh? And we get to talk to James later too.' Sirius added. 'You know, I never thought I'd say this... but this whole thing isn't half as bad as I thought it would be. Except y'know...'

'Yeah... Those... Urges.' Remus laughed at his friend and with a push, sat up on the ledge, his legs dangling down a hundred or so meters above the ground.

Sirius pushed himself up too, facing the castle and locked his arm with Remus's.

'You know you don't have to do that.' Remus said and Sirius shrugged.

'I'm used to it. It's become a weird habit.'

'I know what you mean...'

A silence fell between them and Remus felt Sirius's body stiffen as a gust of wind almost knocked them over.

'What's up?'

'Just... I had an idea.' Sirius said and Remus couldn't ignore the split-second where Sirius's eyes met his lips. 'What with those urges. I've done some thinking and I thought... well, my body might not care if it's a guy or girl unless it gets some lovin'... I mean, I'm not saying let's make sweet man-love but I mean, maybe just...'

He fell silent and Remus turned to face him, looking for a moment older than sixteen. 'This is really bothering you isn't it?'

'Hell yes.' Sirius said, looking slightly ruffled. 'It's killing me... And you know it.'

Remus couldn't deny that fact so he sat for a few moments, pondering, and Sirius began fidgeting again.

Then, Remus gave a sigh and turned to his friend, looking exhausted. 'What do you want me to do?'

Sirius jolted and jumped off the ledge, swinging his friend around, placing his hands on his knees and looking deep and hard into Remus's amber-coloured eyes. His lips tugged into a frown.

'You don't want to do this.'

Remus's eyes were sad. 'You didn't even tell me what you wanted me to do.'

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. 'Just...' he grabbed Remus's hands and pulled him off the wall, then, without warning, placed Remus's hands on his hips. Sirius wrapped his arms around his friend's skinny body and pulled towards him, breathing very deeply as if he was fighting both an urge to push him down and make crazy love to him and run away screaming. He wasn't used to this at all.

'Remus...' Sirius said in a low voice, rough on the edges. A muscle under his eye and in his mouth twitched in protest and he shut his eyes, breathing in sweet, soothing oxygen.

Remus didn't dare ask if he was okay because, he, like Sirius knew he was fighting an urge to escape. His breathing hot and ragged he touched Remus's face tentatively, as if he were a delicate porcelain doll, and ran his long fingers through his mousy hair. As he did this, Remus dug his fingers into Sirius's sides as their faces drew nearer and nearer...

It was a lot harder to do this time, because they had a choice. Back in the Great Hall, they knew if they had refused, they would have dropped dead.

Remus drew in breath as their lips met for the second time. Slowly, Sirius's lips moved against Remus's, the two boys cautiously pressing themselves against each other. Sirius pulled Remus even closer and Remus could feel the broad chest and the tenseness in his arms.

Soon, reality melted away and they drifted into the strange illusion Snape's Vow had drilled into their minds. It was like a mantra, repeated over and over, getting louder and louder. _We're lovers… we're lovers… we're lovers… we're lovers…_

They drew in breath sharply and their hands roamed up and down each others' backs with a rough, brutal forcefulness. Their faces, their necks, their hair... these were places their fingers, their palms, their hands touched. Sirius's coarse black, wicked tresses, his broad shoulders, his hot neck, his eager lips; Remus's thin collarbone, his gentle, yet firm chest, his bony shoulders, his shallow breath. And as the kiss grew more fevered and desperate, their mouths widened, lips pressed against lips, mouths against mouths, drinking in each others' ailing taste. Minutes passed before they realized what they were doing, what they were _feeling_...

In a single moment they pushed each other apart, disturbed with his own thoughts. Remus's shoulders were rising and falling with a sturdy control and Sirius was staring at his hands and fixing his hair nervously. Remus flattened his own and they both spoke at once.

'Remus-'

'Sirius-'

They stared into the others' eyes, searching for an inkling of truth, a hint of falseness.

'What?' Sirius asked seriously, his gaze boring deep into Remus's.

Remus shook his head. 'Nothing.'

Sirius ignored the gnawing feeling at his insides. 'Yeah, me neither.'

They didn't budge, daring the other to move. Then Remus stepped forward, his shoes tapping lightly against the stone.

'Sirius... Do you feel better?' he asked uncertainly and it took Sirius a moment to realize what he was talking about.

'What? -Oh. That. Yeah. I do. A bit.'

'Well, that's good.' Remus said, and without a further word, he strode past Sirius and into the looming castle.

*

When they met again in the empty Gryffindor Common Room at eleven o'clock, they didn't speak to each other and merely toed the ground, avoiding each others' gaze. Thoughts flooded into their heads like a metronome.

Then, Sirius felt something around his waist and he looked down in silent apprehension.

Remus had wrapped his arms cautiously around Sirius's waist.

'We need to talk.' he said quietly. 'But not now. Now yet. Tomorrow. After we've rested.'

Sirius nodded obediently and when Remus's arms left him, he felt lost. Lost and confused. Lost and confused and cold, despite the glaring fire.

They turned at the sound of footsteps and watched as James Potter, the Gryffindor Chaser, climb down the stairs wearing his pyjamas. He stared blankly at Sirius and Remus's striped pyjamas and grimaced.

'Some pyjama party, hey?' he chuckled and Sirius and Remus looked at each other earnestly.

'You wanted to see us?' Remus repeated Lily's words and Sirius nodded. James looked at them both and smiled weakly.

'Yeah...' he said, beckoning them to sit in front of the fire. 'Yeah, I owe you both an apology.'

Sirius was having a hard job keeping a straight face as he sat down, embers licking the fireplace drunkenly. James sat and looked at Remus.

He pushed his glasses hastily up his nose. 'Uh yes, so as you guys know... I was a huge jerk.'

'Yup.' Sirius nodded, remembering all the times they had passed in the corridor and he had blatantly ignored them, at best glaring at them with a look of abhorrence.

'But I mean - okay, I took your thing... really, really badly.'

'That's understandable.' said Remus.

James laughed nervously. 'Well, you see - I mean -'

'We forgive you, Prongsie.' Sirius grinned, looking admirably at his friend. 'That was some punch you gave me.'

'Hah... Yeah... Sorry.'

Remus's lips tugged into a smile. 'We'd... We were wondering why you acted that way. We think there is a bigger problem behind all of this...'

Sirius's eyes flickered to Remus for a split second before returning to James's grim face.

'Yeah, there _was_, Moony.' James said. 'I was going to explain it to you tonight-'

'So tell us!' Sirius cried and James ringed his hands together.

'I'd love to but you guys keep interrupting me!'

Sirius grinned sheepishly.

'Okay, so...' James began. 'You guys know that Slytherin bloke who everybody originally thought was a total homo but apparently it was all an act? His name's Derrek Peckhard. You know, he's really tall and kinda muscly? His nose was broken once? Yeah, well, anyway, as it turns out... He really was gay. Yeah, I know - but he told me not to tell anybody. See, I had beaten Slytherin in Quidditch, right? This happened a few years ago, mind you, yet it was always stuck in my memory... Anyway. So we won. It was awesome. But see, I was leaving the change rooms last - as I do - and he was there. He played Beater at one point, remember? And anyway, he held out his hand and shook mine and he was a pretty good loser, come to think of it. And he said he wanted to talk to me about Quidditch tips in the dungeons one day so I thought "why not? He could use a few pointers." so after a Potions lesson I lagged behind...' James said slowly to the rapt attention of his friends. 'And see, so we sat down and talked about Quidditch for awhile... Until... Well, he pulled out his wand. He hexed me when I was off guard, made me all quiet, y'know, and then he...' James's face went slightly white at the thought. 'He...er… kissed me and... and then he... tried to... um… _rape me_.'

'What!' Sirius growled and Remus stared at James in disbelief.

'You say... tried to...?' Remus questioned and James nodded.

'Yeah. See, he got my pants down and hexed me to the Potion's cabinet.. and he was getting to his belt when who should burst in... but Snape.' he looked both amused and disgruntled at his friend's reactions.

'Snape stared at me to Derrek and he hexed him, and I thought it was all okay because he un-stuck me and un-hexed me but then he yelled at me not to put my butt against the cabinet ever again and stormed off. But see, you'd think I had a debt to owe him but...'

He gave a sly grin. 'I saw him physically molesting himself - well kind of - it was all dark - in... an empty classroom one time. I had seen him on the Marauder's Map and I was wondering what he was doing there...' he made a face. 'Never doing that again, I can tell you. Though, we're even now... Sort of.'

They both knew he was referring to the time he had saved Snape from the Remus on the night the Vow was made.

'That's the story really.'

'My goodness... James...' Remus said but Sirius cut him off.

'Caught Snape! Haha! That's hilarious!' Sirius burst out laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. 'That's really...' he faltered. 'But yeah that really sucks what with Derrek and all... I figured he always looked at you angrily because you beat him but it's because...'

'This must have been kind of hard for you to tell us.' Remus bowed his head. 'So I want to thank you.'

An owl hooted outside and the three friends smiled at each other.

'So... does this mean you're cool with us?' Sirius asked James without thinking.

'Yeah.' James said leisurely. 'Yeah I am. I guess I was kind of freaked in the library because I thought you guys had found out about that thing that happened - I thought you guys were rubbing it in my face, and taunting me but - I mean - that was bollocks. I mean, when I saw you guys kissing in the Great Hall on the weekend, I realized that this isn't some kind of sick joke against me. You guys really do care about each other.'

The awkward feeling which had arisen between Remus and Sirius made another unwelcome appearance.

'You really think so?' Remus asked faintly.

James nodded, his face beaming, illuminated by the flames. 'Yeah, of course! I mean, it's obvious you two like each other - I've never seen two _straight_ men kiss like that.'

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look and grinned, despite themselves.

* * *

**A/N: I like the moment at the end of the chapter, and when Remus walks away from Sirius after they kiss for the second time. However, what did you think? Was James's story what you expected? Does it sound realistic? Was Sirius's and Remus's kiss too soon after the second one? In the story about half a week has passed before it happens but does it feel like time passed properly? Let me know!**

**Also, since wasn't working properly and I wanted to update, I'll give you two more chapters!**

**EDIT: James is Chaser, not Seeker. Thanks to **lynn hewett **for reminding me!**


	7. Day 9: Pus

'So you slapped Snape because...' Sirius was saying to Lily at breakfast, 'Remind me again?'

Lily scowled. 'Because he said "I bet you would have liked to be Derrek then, wouldn't you?"'

Sirius's laugh was a lot like a bark and he chewed on his bacon in satisfaction, Remus shooting him stern looks.

Although they hadn't forgotten their agreement last night "to talk about it in the morning", Remus couldn't help feeling slightly reluctant so he nudged Sirius's arm and whispered in his ear, feeling he'd better get it over and done with.

'Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at lunch-time.' he told him and Sirius nodded absent-mindedly. He looked up at the sight of James approaching the table.

'Lily, what's happening with you and James, anyway?' Sirius asked, poking her in the stomach.

'Oh, no! Is he coming?'

'Sure is. Charming-Gryffindor-Potter approaching at 3 o'clock.' Sirius pointed out and Lily jumped up and disappeared into a crowd of Hufflepuffs getting up from their table. They watched her with an odd sensation numbing their brains.

'I guess she hasn't chosen yet.' Remus shrugged.

'I mean, it's not that hard! James or Snivellus? It's like choosing between a chocolate frog and vomit-flavoured Every Flavour Bean.'

James sat down at the table looking sadly after Lily who had just left the Hall. 'She mention me?'

'Yeah, she did.' Sirius said and James's eyes darted to meet Sirius's. 'She said "Oh, no! Is he coming?" and then she ran away.'

James didn't look impressed.

*

In Herbology, third lesson of the day, they were squeezing the pus out of Bubotubers, cringing at the petrol smell that came out of each pod. Sirius and Remus didn't finish the lesson however because when Sirius said "Look, James. This is what you're in competition against.' pointing at the pus, James growled 'Shut up!' and accidentally sprayed Sirius's face with the sticky black liquid. Half laughing and half groaning, Sirius departed with Remus to the hospital wing and as the angry boils on his face healed he grimaced. 'That Bubotuber stuff really smells doesn't it?'

At lunch time, Remus waited up at the Astronomy Tower, enjoying the view and the whistling wind, waiting for Sirius to arrive. Whilst Remus was thinking about what he would say to Sirius - something along the lines of "Whilst I don't deny I like you Sirius, I think we should stay friends. It would complicate things." but then before he could wonder how exactly it would complicate things, he decided Sirius had scarpered. A sad knot in his stomach, he headed down to the grounds, and overheard an unpleasantly familiar voice from around a corner in the castle.

'Lily, I think we should talk.'

He couldn't mistake that greasy voice.

'No, Severus, no! I don't want to talk to you at the moment!' Lily's voice echoed down the hall but Snape had hushed her.

'We need to sort this out. Who do you like, Potter or me?'

He sounded quite angry and Remus thought, with a stab of sympathy, that Snape probably felt the exact same as James; frustrated and confused. Remus listened for Lily's answer, but she didn't give one.

'Do you think it's fun watching me suffer like this?' Snape's voice sent splinters through the chest.

Lily was silent again for a few moments and then she said sharply. 'Okay? You want the truth? I'll give you the truth. I don't like you that way, Severus! I mean. I do like you, but I ... I... James is...'

Remus thought he could feel Snape's jealousy even through enchanted stone walls. There was a silence, dripping with trepidation, and then Snape's voice came out so soft and defeated, that Remus thought he heard the wrong person.

'Fine.'

Another pause.

'I'm sorry.'

Then Lily walked right past him, a fiery determination in her eye and Remus stared after her, a curious gleam in his eye.

*

He looked in the library but Sirius was nowhere to be found. Then, hearing a yell from outside, hurried as fast as he could downstairs and into the courtyard. A whistling crowd had formed around a tree and Remus pushed and shoved his way through murmuring "Excuse me"s, finally making it to the front and realizing what they were all whooping about.

James and Lily were so closely entwined that Remus could have sworn they were one person. They were kissing furiously, hands placed all over their bodies. Remus suddenly wondered if that's what he and Sirius looked like when they kissed when he saw a dark haired someone out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Sirius watching James and Lily with a broad grin split across his face. Forcing his way through the crowd, he arrived next to Sirius.

'Sirius.' he said and when Sirius saw him his face fell slightly.

'Oh.'

'I assume you forgot about meeting me in the Astronomy Tower?' Remus's eyebrow quirked and Sirius shook his head, looking ashamed.

'No... I didn't forget actually...' Sirius said glumly. 'I'm sorry, I just...'

The crowd was starting to fade away, a few smiles and grins flashing in Remus and Sirius's direction. James and Lily were holding each other, arm in arm as they bounded towards their friends. Peter, who had been on the other edge of the crowd, looked pink-faced.

'That was ...' Peter stuttered, 'That was... That was...'

'Brilliant?' James flashed a charming grin at his friend. 'Yeah, I guess I was.'

'Oh please.' Lily smirked. 'I believe I was the one who was brilliant.'

'Agreed.' Sirius said, leaping forward. 'I'm with the red-head on this one.'

'Why?' James asked, looking crestfallen.

'Because she's...' Sirius faltered, looking at Remus for help. 'I mean, look at her! How can you not deny her brilliance! She chose you over Snape, and that's mighty impressive.'

Sirius received a punch in the arm for this comment but he grinned at James anyway, throwing back his magnificent black hair.

Peter squeaked with joy and danced around them, his arms in the air. 'I'm so glad you and Lily are finally together, James.'

'Thanks. And...We need to find you a girl now.' James said, but then looking hastily at Sirius and Remus said. 'Or boy.'

'I think it's girl.' Lily pointed out, watching Peter's face turn slightly blue at the mention of being with a boy. 'Hey, I know! We can set you up on a date, can't we, Peter?'

Peter looked absolutely terrified at the very thought and he shook his head wildly. 'No- no thank you.'

'Hold on...' Sirius began, looking at Peter, his eyes twinkling in a special kind of knowing. 'You already like somebody don't you!'

The plump boy gasped, blushing.

Remus looked from Sirius back to Peter again, a slightly exasperated look on his face.

'Who is it, Peter?' James dejected excitedly. 'C'mon! Tell us!'

'He doesn't have to tell you, you know.' Remus sighed, defending the poor boy.

'No, no, Remus. It's okay.' Peter said suddenly, slowly.

Sirius nodded. 'Yeah, Remus, it's okay.'

Remus felt a stab of annoyance at these words. The courtyard was back to normal now with students sitting under trees and on benches, heads in their books.

'So, Peter... Tell Mr. Padfoot who it is and I'll set you guys up!'

'Are you truly serious, Sirius?' Peter asked, his eyes watering in appreciation. Sirius puffed out his chest.

'Of course!'

'Are you really, truly, really, truly, honestly -'

'YES! He said yes!' Remus snapped and his friends looked at him, startled. Sirius looked especially baffled but then he turned to Peter and put his hand up to his ear, egging him to whisper the name in his ear.

Peter whispered in Sirius's ear and blushed scarlet. Sirius's jaw dropped.

'What?' Sirius roared. 'WHAT!?'

'What?' James and Lily asked.

Sirius turned to them, a look of disastrous terror on his face. 'He likes _Emma_.'

The silence which followed was broken by Remus, his shoulders shaking, trying to repress his giggles.

'Oh, shut up, Remus.' Sirius snarled. James couldn't help snorting and Lily forced her face straight.

'Emma? Your ex?' Lily asked Sirius who nodded coldly. 'Let me know why you broke up with her again?'

This was clearly payback for making Lily repeat what Snape said to her, at breakfast.

'She was violent.' Sirius grumbled, remembering how Emma had pulled at his hair. 'I don't get why you like her, Peter, I mean, all the girls I went out with were complete psychos-'

'Birds of a feather stick together.' James winked.

'I mean, they're pretty and all, but...' Sirius scratched his head, 'they're completely nuts.'

James patted Sirius on the back, choking back a laugh. 'Well, can't go back on your word now. You told Wormtail you'd hook them up, right?'

As he and Lily walked off to class in high spirits, Peter turned to Sirius expectantly.

'Right.' Sirius affirmed darkly, and as Peter skipped away to class and Sirius took Remus's hand in his own, he couldn't help feeling as though he had gotten the worst deal.

Remus patted his arm affectionately, the strangeness between them disappearing momentarily.

*

Sirius complained about his ex-girlfriends all the way to Care of Magical Creatures and Remus couldn't help feeling slightly jealous. He accepted the feelings were there but he didn't want to admit he really was jealous. So he just told himself that he was jealous he hadn't had as many girlfriends as Sirius.

'See Gloria, she was great in bed, _really_ great in bed. I mean, she'd do this thing where-' Remus listened, ignoring the pang he felt at these words, but brightened as he criticized her. 'I dumped her because... well, she kept getting insanely jealous about any girl I talked to. It was really irritating. I had to let her go...' Remus slipped slightly on the grass and looked up at the cloudy sky.

'Raven was... well, god. It was nice what with the making out and everything because at least then she'd shut up, but you heard her!' he flinched slightly. 'The worst voice I've ever heard in my entire friggen life. Must have burst my eardrums about five thousand times when I was with her- I swear I had gone temporarily deaf. Thank god she was in Ravenclaw, it just meant I didn't see her around as much. Oh and _Emma_!'

They sat down on the grass with the rest of the class and Sirius continued complaining in a harsh whisper. 'Emma... I mean, blonde, attractive, funny, witty - perfect girlfriend right? WRONG. I mean, you look at her and think 'Oh now there's a gorgeous creature.' but once you get attached to her... Violent girl. Violent, violent, violent. The sex was violent. Okay, and violent sex is good sometimes but this was really violent. Like, bad-violent.'

Remus half-wished Sirius would call him "a gorgeous creature" but he told himself sternly that werewolves weren't gorgeous in the slightest. The students around them bustled and stood. Remus began to do what they had been assigned to do; attract Nifflers by waving shining jewelery in the air and calling out in a screechy voice that Raven could have aced. He listened to Sirius yammering on, who had not even bothered to wave the Leprechaun Gold that had been shoved into his hand.

'You remember, right? I used to come back to the dormitory covered in bruises and stuff? You remember that one time I got a black eye? You know why I got that? I told her I thought she looked better with her hair down one time she wore it up and she punched me in the face! I was doing her a favour, I mean, show some respect!'

He scowled and continued, 'And when I dumped her she stalked my ass for weeks.' he shuddered at the memory, 'I'd go to the toilet and I'd come out and she'd be standing there looking like the most evil thing on the entire planet. I wanted to kill myself.'

Remus knew Sirius wasn't being serious when he said this, but even so, he remembered Sirius complaining and whining and moaning about his injuries, insisting he was in pain. Remus even walked in on him nursing a broken wrist once, crying, so he had escorted him to get it fixed and then helped him report Emma - she finally left him alone as her parents were contacted and she was suspended for a few days, not to mentioned lectured by various teachers.

'And you'd think... A Hufflepuff wouldn't be violent! No! But it turns out people are so much more complex than that.' he sighed and shook his head; as if he wished people weren't so complicated.

The lesson soon ended which proved fruitless on Remus's part. James had attracted three Nifflers, but and said it was because Lily was the prettiest piece of jewellery there. They left to the final lesson of the day which was Ancient Runes; it was horribly boring but when Remus was packing up his things Sirius shoved a note into his hands and strode off, without looking back.

_Moony,_

_Meet me at Hogsmead tomorrow. We could go look around and then we could go to the Shreiking Shack to hang out._

_Padfoot_

Remus shoved the letter back into his pocket, and with a new spring in his step, left to the library before heading down to dinner and grinning broadly at Sirius, chicken piled on his plate. Sirius winked at him and broke the ice with a hammer fist.

'Remus, my _lovely_ man. Do come with me to _lovely_ Hogsmead tomorrow, my _lovely_-lover?'

* * *

**A/N: To be optimistic, I love how Sirius complains about his girlfriends - mainly because I can really picture him saying it. Poor Padfoot. Also, I'm quite proud of how I characterised Lily in this story, though let me know if you think it should be done differently. Cheers! Keep tuned for the next chapter!**


	8. Day 10: Honey Quills

Hogsmead was absolutely freezing. Rain had fallen overnight and it was overcast as they trudged through the muddy grass, focused on the path ahead. Remus wrapped his robes tighter around himself and shivered; Sirius didn't seem bothered and bounded forward. Remus sensed his wish for transforming into the dog and jumping around, barking at various couples; like James and Lily who were threading through the crowd as if they were snakes. Sirius shook his hair which was slightly moist from the humidity as they walked into Zonko's. He stared disappointingly at the New Releases shelf, where there was, apparently, nothing worth buying.

'See the Honey Quills? They're like Sugar Quills, only some health-conscious witches think that honey is supposed to be better for you.' he said grimly, pointing at the golden quills, 'Lousy Squibs.'

Sirius lit up at the sight of dung-bombs and he made an order for twenty of them to be delivered to Hogwarts. As he gave a staff member details Remus stared at Sirius as if he had only just noticed he existed. A slightly curious air surrounded him as he looked at the way Sirius's lips curled upwards, very much like a dog's, when he was saying something rude; the way his eyebrows jumped when he heard something surprising; the way he ran his fingers through his hair when he was nervous and jittery. Sirius turned at looked at Remus with a boyish grin upon his face, giving him the thumbs up. Remus smiled, still deep in thought.

'What's up with you?' Sirius asked, waving his hand in front of Remus's face.

'Oh, um... I didn't get much sleep last night.' Remus spluttered. Sirius's grey eyes filled with mirth.

'Yeah right. I had to wake you up this morning; you were going to sleep in till noon unless I did something.'

'Yes, well, I don't think transforming into your Animagus form and barking your head off in my ear did wonders for my health.' Remus said, rubbing his temples at the memory. Sirius's face darkened.

'Your health, huh?' he said, his jaw locking, 'If you want health, buy one of those honey-quills.'

And at this he strode out of the store.

When Remus stood in the middle of Hogsmead, looking left and right for his friend, he sighed and his eyelids battered as a water droplet hit his face. Shivering, he ran to a sheltered alley next to The Three Broomsticks. He was leaning against a fogged window and watching the rain scatter the ground, creating small circles where it hit, and wondering why Sirius was so irritable.

His face loosened as he remembered the last reason why Sirius was irritable; his un-fulfilled urges. Heat crept up into his cheeks as he remembered their kiss on the Astronomy Tower, the weird pulsing sensation in his body distracting him from the increasingly loud pounding of rain. He heard a rustle at his left and looked down the alleyway. His heart leaped at the sight of a large black dog; Sirius.

He rushed forward and ruffled the dog's fur, yammering wildly. 'Oh, Sirius, there you are! Look, I'm sorry about what I said about you waking me up - it was necessary, without it I wouldn't be here with you.'

The dog gave a small whine and Remus hugged the dog, marveling at the warm fur, but then he heard a voice from out in the rain.

'Leaving me already, are you?'

The rough voice made Remus swing around, slipping on the ground and the black dog behind him darted away, barking madly. Remus looked bewilderingly at the damp ground and up into the face of Sirius Black.

His hair was drenched and water dripped off his chin and onto the ground. He held out his hand and, reluctantly, Remus took it and was pulled up. His hand was a clammy coldness.

'Thanks.' Remus said breathlessly.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, 'What did you do, run a marathon?'

Remus shook his head, thinking quickly, 'I'm just... cold.'

'Pff, didn't you bring a spare pair of robes?'

Remus's voice quaked with fury. 'No! No, I didn't!'

'God,' Sirius laughed, 'I was kidding! Kidding, Remus! Hah-hah, laughing, see?'

The brown-haired boy sighed and slumped against the cold alley wall, lost for words.

'If I didn't know any better I would think the full moon was approaching.'

Remus lifted his head and forced a smile.

'I'm not the only one who's a bit grumpy.'

Sirius's eyes searched Remus's. 'Wait a second...'

Remus waited and Sirius continued.

'Oh my god! Do you... Do you...?'

'What?' Remus snapped.

'Do you have _urges_ after all?'

Remus snorted with laughter; he had been thinking about Sirius's urges not a few minutes ago, 'Just because I've never had a girlfriend doesn't mean I don't get urges. You, Sirius, should know that.'

'But you said...'

'I said that being a werewolf didn't have anything to do with it.' Remus said promptly.

'You were being sarcastic.'

'Exactly, so what was I really saying?'

'No wait. It was sarcasm, but you did mean it! Being a werewolf does affect you but it's not the whole deal!' Sirius looked at him in stunned fascination. 'Do you get weird mood swings in different stages of the full moon like girls do, only for them it's a different kind of PMS?'

Remus frowned. 'It can influence my mood, yes... But it's not the only factor contributing to-'

'So what's the other factor then?'

It was raining buckets of water now, and Remus didn't know whether to be honest or not.

'Oh shit.' Sirius said suddenly, and he looked at his feet, shifting his weight. 'My shoes are soaked through.'

Remus thought he was distracted from the question but he was wrong.

'So, what's the other factor?'

'You really are hopeless, you know?'

'Me? Hopeless? You're the one avoiding the question.'

It was true. Remus looked desperately at Sirius's shoes.

'What about your socks?'

Sirius grimaced. 'Wet.'

'Want to go to the Shrieking Shack?' Remus asked suddenly. 'You did say we could go there to hang out.'

Sirius looked calculatingly at Remus for a moment and then nodded, stepping out into the cold.

'I guess it is out of the rain.'

*

Once they climbed over the fence, up the wall, removed a few of the boards from the windows and jumped in, Sirius threw off his shoes, draping a pair of maroon, holed socks on a chair.

'You could dry them with magic, you know.' Remus informed him but Sirius shrugged and stared admirably at his socks, like they were crystal flowers and not smelly and wet pieces of cloth.

Remus looked around the room; at the broken chairs, the broken grandfather clock, the broken sofa, and the broken floorboards under the window and sighed; they were the results of the most recent full moon. He slumped against the couch and sighed, shutting his eyes. He didn't notice Sirius watching his chest rising slowly upwards and downwards, didn't see his eyes scan the way his robes had perched over his body.

'So what was the other factor?' Sirius asked, looking expectantly at Remus. The werewolf's brain tweaked.

'N-nothing.' Remus decided, listening to the howling of the wind outside and the pitter-patter of the rain.

'Remus, you said we were going to talk about this.'

He _knows_, Remus thought desperately, he knows. He knows, he knows, he knows.

Remus sat up. Sirius looked bemused.

'So?'

Remus opened his mouth to speak and when the words came out, it was as if somebody else had said it. After all, all he was aware of was Sirius. He was admitting a terrible truth; a truth that had frightened him at times, but he had come to accept it, just like he had accepted the horrible part of him that was not human.

_'I think I might have certain feelings for you._'

There was a pause and then Sirius's face split into a heart-warming grin. As they stared at each other, the initial shock gone, a warm melting feeling filled their insides like Butter Beer.

'Yeah.' Sirius chuckled.

*

Back at Hogwarts, they were discussing their confessions with hushed voices, looking like conspirators.

'But we were friends!'

'But then we weren't.'

'How did that happen again?'

'Snape's stupid vow.'

'Y'know, I'm really starting to feel grateful for Snape at the moment.'

'Yeah, I know what you mean. I actually want to thank the bastard.'

'Mmhm.' Remus said, his robes swishing across the corridor. Sirius was holding his shoes (his socks stuffed inside) and they entered the Gryffindor Common room to an unwelcome sight. Lily was straddling James with a fierce longing in her eyes, pinning him to the carpet in front of the fire. James was ruffling his hair and grinning up at the girl. They kissed.

'Oh, barf!' Sirius yelled, making them jump. James jolted and stood up, throwing Lily to the ground. 'Thank god you're wearing clothes or I would need some serious counseling.'

James was looking from Sirius at Remus, a queer expression on his face.

'What's up with you two?' he asked and Lily shoved his shoulder, scowling her disapproval for being thrown to the floor. He pecked her on the cheek and looked at the boys' faces.

'Erm... I don't know?' Sirius said unconvincingly, eyeing James's burning red hickey, the corners of his mouth twitching.

James frowned, looking pensive. 'I don't get it; you guys seem closer somehow...'

'That's ridiculous,' Lily said hotly, 'They're standing a foot apart.'

She was wrapping her arms around his neck, clearly ready to continue their make out session.

'Hmm.' James said thoughtfully but he was cut short by Lily's lips. Sirius roared with laughter, making his way up to the dormitory to replace his shoes.

'Ah, James.' he said, shaking his head and then what James said next made him stop dead in his tracks. Remus stopped too, and he had just begun to follow Sirius upstairs.

'Got Peter and Emma together yet?' he spoke between fevered kisses, shooting glances when he could towards them. He grimaced as Sirius dropped his shoes to the floor.

Emma and Peter.

*

Sirius had found her in the Charms Corridor after dinner. Remus had already left to the dormitory, saying he'd be waiting in the common room for the news. He had gently kissed Sirius's forehead, a slightly patchy, fresh, warm feeling surrounding them; the feelings of a new relationship. It didn't feel so weird either – they had been acting gay for awhile now… It had become more or less natural.

When he called out Emma's name, she spun around, her eyes dancing over his face and body. 'Yum, yum, and I thought desert was over.'

Sirius's insides filled with needles and he shook his head.

'Err, no. I'm not here for that. I'm with Remus, remember?'

Emma shrugged, half-listening. 'Whatever.'

'Yeah, so, anyway...' Sirius was saying quickly, 'I know this guy who really likes you but he's really shy and can't talk to you himself.'

Her blonde hair was shaken back and her mouth opened slightly, words spilling out like cascading rocks.

'Oh, Sirius! Yes! Yes!' she leaped into his arms and planted a kiss on his lips, grinning broadly. His eyes widened in shock and he pushed her away, keeping his distance.

'No...' he said, his gaze piercing. 'No, Emma, you're not listening to me, I-'

'-I knew you'd come around eventually! I remember when the teachers talked to me about violence and all that, but I knew you liked it...' there was a devilish gleam in her eyes, 'I knew you did. I knew because when you screamed-'

'I was screaming in pain, you filthy little whore.' Sirius growled dangerously and Emma crooned and held his face in her hands.

'Ooh, that's the Sirius I love. That's right, call me names, yell at me...'

Sirius's face was white, his insides churning unpleasantly, bile rising in his throat. Why had he dated this woman? Had he been so hormone-obsessed that it didn't matter how psycho she was? Dumbstruck, he was thrown back to earth as Emma wrapped her arms around his waist.

'NO! EMMA, NO!'

The few students passing by exchanged uncertain looks as Emma's face filled with anger, like flames building into a roaring fire.

'No, Emma… I mean… I'm talking about Peter Pettigrew. He's likes you. He wants to go out with you. He's a great guy really, you should be nice to him though' he added hastily, not liking the look in her eyes.

'If he wanted to be with me, why isn't he here? WHY?' she screeched and Sirius winced, taking steady steps back as her fists clenched - she punched worse than James, and that was saying something.

'I told you; because he's shy.'

'Sirius,' she said heavily, bounding forward. 'Let's go, let's go right now. In the closet - there - we used to do that remember?'

'I wish I didn't.' Sirius croaked, and before Emma could so much as swipe at him he had sprinted down the hall and up the stairs, heading back to where Remus was in Gryffindor Tower, his lungs straining against his chest.

'How'd it go?' Remus asked, placing his book named "Potion Powers: Learning to enhance your potions for every-day use." carefully on the table, as if it were a fragile glass figurine. Sirius shook his head viciously and slumped in the chair next to him.

'It was horrible.' Sirius growled, wiping his mouth furiously. 'God, that woman... She's a total psycho, a real nutter, a real-'

'What did she say about Peter?' Remus asked. As a few Gryffindors entered the common room he took Sirius's hand in his own. 'The whole point of this was to "hook" Emma and Peter up.'

Sirius let out a long moan, and he pulled at his hair in despair. 'Holy Hippogriff! I can't believe it! I forgot...'

For a few moments he was still but then Remus watched Sirius's eyes faze in and out; he sensed the coming-on of an idea.

'I'll ask her tomorrow, yes, I'll do that.' Sirius muttered, his hands running through his hair, filled with a sudden wild inspiration. 'That's right. And then - Remus, you're gonna help me with this - she still likes me - yeah I know; no way in hell - but, she's a bit confused about Peter in fact... Well, I'll ask her, but... Hmm...'

Suddenly, he spun towards Remus whose fingers made a cracking noise under Sirius's powerful hold.

'I have a great idea. Okay... This is what we need to do...'

* * *

**Ah, Emma really is a bit nuts. And yes, she's my character. Hope you liked this chapter and I let me know what you think about Sirius and Remus's new relationship – was it too sudden? Does it make sense? I'm asking because I like relationships to be built up properly and I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't do that… Thanks for your feedback and stay tuned! ******


	9. Day 11: The Animal Spirit Defense Force

'You're really gonna do that?' James exclaimed at breakfast the next day, 'BRILLIANT! She'll never see it coming!'

Lily frowned, pouring some orange-juice into her goblet and peering inside of it, the morning-chatter wafting over them.

'It's a bit mean to Emma and you're putting Peter in a really horrible spot - but if something bad happens to Emma. I don't care. She's a bitch.'

'Things like that make you wonder why she's in Hufflepuff.' James said, nodding knowingly and tapping his nose.

'I hear she's really loyal to her friends, and that she's a bit, y'know, nice... when she's not attacking people.' Lily explained, shaking her head in disbelief. 'Good thing that she's stopped being violent.'

James laughed and smiled warmly at his new girlfriend. 'Lily's just a bit bitter ever since-'

'No!' Lily cried, pushing her hand over James's mouth. 'Don't say!'

Remus looked up from his Potions book and took a sip of his tea, uncertainty thriving like eels in his stomach. 'Sirius, do you really think Peter will be alright?'

'Of course!' Sirius grinned, filling his plate with eggs and bacon. 'I've given Peter precautions - if she gets angry, hex her! I've taught him a few good ones, he'll be fine.'

Peter arrived at the table, looking anxiously at Sirius. He took his seat and cautiously filled his bowl with porridge, as though searching for beetles amongst the oats. 'Did- did you talk to her?'

'Sure did.' Sirius affirmed. 'You're going on a date with her tonight - Hogsmead - Three Broomsticks!'

Peter squeaked in excitement, 'Three - The Three Broomsticks! Thank you, Sirius, thank you!'

'I don't think you should thank him just yet, Peter.' Remus advised, 'Wait until you see how it goes.'

'Yeah.' Lily agreed, ignoring Sirius's look of mock insult. 'And, The Three Broomsticks, Sirius? That's not very romantic.'

'Anywhere can be romantic if you're with the right person.' Sirius said wisely, words he undoubtedly had picked up for the pleasure of shooting down comments such at Lily's.

'What do I do? What do I say? I've never been on a date before!' Peter said suddenly, looking as if the end of the world had come early. Lily looked at him kindly.

'Hey, I'll come up to your dormitory and help you get ready, as well as give you some pointers.'

'How come you never give us pointers?' Sirius demanded, looking offended and shoving crisp bacon into his mouth.

'Because you never listen to them.' Lily said bluntly, making James smirk. 'And that goes for you too, James.'

*

Later that evening, before dusk, Sirius, James and Remus were waiting in the Shrieking Shack, looking out the peeks in the windows, nervous. The only noise to comfort them in the shabby building was the creaking of the floor boards and the wind screaming.

'So... you said if it gets bad he should come here and say... that if he touches him or you or any of us the _animal spirits_ will get her?' Remus repeated in amazement. Sirius nodded.

'Yeah. I mean, you'd have to move, but Prongs and I will transform and perform some mystical animal voodoo.' Sirius dropped onto the couch. 'I wonder how he's going... I hope he remembered the hexes.'

'I hope he listened to Lily.' Remus said and James looked at the two and sighed, suddenly remembering the previous night.

'So, what's up with you guys? You never answered... Oh wait.' his face contorted, regretting his question immediately, 'Have you guys... Did you guys have sex?'

'NO!' Sirius yelled, 'No, James, no. Not yet anyway.' he added quickly, looking hopefully at Remus. 'No, it's just, we're together, that's all.'

James looked disappointed. 'I already knew that.'

'No, but, really together.' Remus attempted fruitlessly.

James waved a hand at them.

'Already know.'

*

Having dozed off for a few hours, the sudden voices made James wake in alarm and Sirius and Remus flew behind the door. Immediately, Sirius and James transformed and hid, completely silent as Remus watched them in interest half way down the dusty stairs.

Peter and Emma were walking across to the middle of the room where they sat on the couch (springs and cotton poking out).

'So, how do you like it here?' his voice drifted past the wall, his pathetic attempt at conversation.

'It's kinda... cold.' Emma said and there was a ruffling of clothing as Peter gave her his coat. 'Hmm... Thanks.'

'You're not interested in me, are you?' Peter said in a high pitched voice. Sirius imagined Emma shaking her head.

'No... No... You're interesting. I like your hair.'

Peter had apparently decided to be honest. 'Well, a friend of mine helped me.'

'It looks nice cut like that, it looks... dangerous.'

Sirius, as the dog, shut his eyes tight, cringing. She _was _psycho.

'Thank you.' Peter said, struggling to keep his voice calm and saying something Sirius jumped at. 'You know, you're nicer than Sirius made you out to be.'

Emma paused and turned towards him. 'Sirius? What did he say?'

It was evident Peter realized he had walked into deep waters. 'Erm, well... You weren't very nice to him.'

There was a long silence and Sirius, James and Remus strained to hear with all their might.

'He... he did?'

'Yes!' Peter gasped. 'Yes, yes you were! You were horrible to him, you broke his wrist once, didn't you know? You kept hurting him and you never even said sorry!'

'But it's not my fault he made me angry!' Emma retorted.

'You made yourself angry.' Peter said forcefully. 'You really did. You really need to get over him. And you need to stop hurting people... it's not nice.'

Sirius's eyes were wide in amazement and he looked to the stag, its head bent down; Remus was also lost for breath. Who would have thought that Peter would have been the one to stand up to Emma?

'I know you thought I was going to be him, but I think, that if you just opened your eyes, that you would have realized he was lying to you when he set up the date.' Peter continued and the silence deepened.

Suddenly they all heard a sob - and the sound was so uncommon to hear from Emma that they were slightly alarmed.

'I know! I know! I'm horrible...' Emma burst into tears. 'I just... I'm sorry... I just...'

She choked and Sirius knew Peter was hugging her.

_Peter Pettigrew was being nice to Miss. Violent-Sex Girl._

'It's not fair!' Emma shrieked suddenly. 'It's not! It's not! It's not!'

'What's not?'

'Uh...' she sniffed. 'It's just... my dad... he's not very nice to me and I guess I just... I kinda picked it up from him. I mean, I can't do anything about it at home and I...'

'Take it out on other people?' Peter said in a sad voice.

Sirius's insides crumbled.

Of the five months he had spent with her, he had never asked her why she was like she was, why she was so horrible, but now it made sense. He forced a peek behind the wall and what he saw made his stomach clench.

Peter was holding Emma (who was a few inches taller), their foreheads were together. He could see their eyes darting from eyes to mouth, eyes to mouth, and even though the room was barely lit, and you could barely see, it made him feel queasy.

'Peter?' Emma said in a sickeningly low voice, breathing on his neck. 'Kiss me?'

Sirius was surprised that Peter didn't run in fright; that he didn't squeak and fan himself - instead he drew face towards her and kissed her tenderly.

He forced himself to look away, and remembering what he, Remus and James were supposed to be doing in the first place, nudged the stag in a leg. They trotted carefully and quietly out of the Shrieking Shack, all needs for the "animal spirit rescue party" down to zero.

*

'I really think we should go study…' Remus was saying as Sirius pulled him down another flight of steps. They had been back at Hogwarts for a few hours and after exchanging a few words of surprise about Emma and Peter's situation, Remus had left the common room where James went to Quidditch practice. 'I'm really not hungry, Sirius.'

'You won't be able to study without food in your puny little stomach,' scoffed Sirius, turning a corner and arriving in front of a portrait with a fruit bowl.

'Fine…' Remus muttered, 'we'll get some food and then I'll go.'

'That's the spirit.' Sirius answered, tickling the pear. The portrait swung open and they ducked through the hole and into a large, steaming kitchen. 'House Elves!'

Remus forced a smile as several tiny Elves came bustling towards them wearing rags. 'Food for the misters? What would the misters like?'

'A ham.' Sirius told them, 'and a Cream Bun or something, for Remus here.'

He patted Remus's hand somewhat-awkwardly and a few of the Elves looked at them fearfully as if they had committed a most dreadful crime, a terrible sin.

'We have heard of wizards like you, sir!' squeaked one with a porky face, pushing to the front of the Elves, 'some wizards don't approve of wizards like you, sir!'

'Wizards like what?' Sirius asked, 'Sixth years? Nah, we're fine.'

The chubby Elf's voice squeaked even higher, 'No! Wizard boys who like wizards - who are not girls!'

Remus tried to pull Sirius out of the hole behind them but Sirius took the heavy paper bag that a few tiny Elves had brought, grinning charmingly at them as if nothing was wrong, 'thanks.'

'You will leave now!' cried the Elf, pushing Sirius's knees.

'No, but!' Sirius exclaimed, 'We like you guys! You bring us free food!'

'Not anymore, Mr Black! Not anymore!' cried the fat little Elf melodramatically despite the shrieks of the other Elves.

'Dinks, no! They are not bad wizards! They are…'

'Out! OUT!' screamed Dinks and they were pushed out of the hole, falling painfully against the floor. The shouts and yells of the Elves cut off as the painting of the Fruit Bowl slammed shut. They sat, stunned into silence.

'Sirius…' Remus said uncertainly, but Sirius shoved the sugar-coated bun into Remus's hand and pulled out the leg of ham and sinking his teeth into it, tearing away its pink flesh, getting to his feet looking bitter and scrunching the paper bag into a ball.

'Stupid Dinks…' he chewed, staring at the painting with hatred. 'Stupid prejudice little twat!'

And he threw the bag towards the painting.

*

When Peter returned to the common room late at night, Sirius looked at him, sucking on a honey-quill. Sirius's legs were propped up on the table he had moved towards the fire. Who needed House Elves, really? They could always get Peter or James to get food for them... Or maybe they could go in separately - maybe they could disguise themselves...

'How'd it go?' he said, his thoughts jumping from Dinks to Peter almost immediately.

'Oh, it was nice.' Peter said happily, hugging himself.

'I just wanted to say... Good on you.' Sirius muttered and Peter beamed.

'She's really not that bad, she's just misunderstood.' Peter nodded, apparently very proud with himself.

'Yeah, I know...' Sirius murmured, and Peter stared, 'I mean, James, Remus and I were all listening to the way you tamed the wild beast - but we left once you two started kissing-' Peter's cheeks turned pink, '-but I want to congratulate you; that was quite something you did. Never thought you had it in you – _never_.'

'Thanks.' Peter breathed and Sirius patted him on the back. 'You know, Sirius. I have to tell you-'

'Hm?' Sirius asked.

'It really was nice, that date - thanks for setting us up.' Peter looked like the boy with the sweet tooth who had entered Candy-Land. 'I mean, she was really confused and kind of mad at first - because apparently you told her that you were going to meet her - but anyway, I calmed her down - I think we're going to go on another date next week.' he sighed blissfully and looked around. 'Where are the others?'

'James and Lily are out in the castle somewhere.' replied Sirius, 'And Remus is in the library, doing some last minute revision for that Potions test tomorrow - oh, and Charms.'

Peter's face shrunk in horror. 'Test?'

'Yeah?' Sirius said in amusement, 'What? Didn't you know?'

But Peter had already sprinted out of the common room.

_At least Remus won't be the only one studying_, Sirius thought, putting the quill back in his mouth thoughtfully and returning to staring into the fire; the Honey Quills weren't that bad.

* * *

**So, another chapter gone. Is it going too quickly? Is it not going fast enough? Want to see some more Sirius/Remus action (I haven't put much in - but I think it's more realistic that way) ? Miss Snape? You'll see a lot of him soon! I wanted to put the House Elf in somewhere and I figured this chapter was a nice place to put it. I really love the name Dinks. I think I did justice to the books by giving him a proper House-Elf-y name.  
**


	10. Day 12: A Quacking Good Plan

'Ah!' Sirius exclaimed, stretching his arms as they walked through the courtyard, a chilly breeze tickling their faces. 'Charms...'

'You studied perfectly hard didn't you?' Remus asked, taking his hand. 'You should have done perfectly!'

'Oh, I did.' Sirius muttered darkly, looking at the bags under Remus's eyes. 'No, but I thought... we've got three days left...'

'Hm. You're right.' Remus admitted, rubbing his jaw.

'Do you think we can stop doing this gay touching thing now?' Sirius asked, looking around at their fellow students talking excitedly about the test. Remus furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, reaching his decision.

'Didn't Snape's Vow include "must act like a gay couple in company of others"?' Remus said. 'And are you suggesting we stop this gay-touching thing?'

Sirius frowned. 'No, I mean, it's just a bit... It can get a bit uncomfortable after awhile. Y'know...'

'Sweaty hands?'

Sirius looked relieved. 'Yeah, pretty much. Besides, everyone knows we're together now, so ... would it be alright?'

'I wouldn't try it.' Remus said in dangerous tones. 'You know how the Vow works, we go against it, and we die. We don't grow funny noses or talk like ducks; we die, Sirius. Die.'

'Yeah... Okay, fine, we _won't_ try it.'

'Don't get upset with me now.' Remus brushed off his robes and wiped some ink off his face (where it had splattered off his paper during the test) 'Besides, I thought you didn't mind holding hands.'

'I don't. I just... want something more than that.' Sirius muttered, pulling at his robes and squinting in the sunlight.

Remus's face tinged a light pink and he stopped dead under a tree branch.

'Are you suggesting we...'

Sirius stared at Remus with hard eyes.

'Are you implying we have sex, Sirius?' Remus said in barely more than a whisper.

'It's too soon, I know. Well, I was actually referring to some…uh… some making out...'

Remus laughed and blinked into the light. _Sex would have been a massive step..._ Remus thought. _Making out, however..._

'You have a point there...' he said.

'I didn't really make one.' Sirius said gruffly. 'I'm just saying... Just making out once... does not satisfy a man's urges... Y'know, Lily's right. We haven't made out at all! Why the hell not?'

Remus looked at Sirius sadly. 'I'm not too good with... physical affection... but it's a good idea. I can't deny I haven't felt... some... need for _stress-relief_.'

'So you're up for it?'

'Would we be having this conversation if I wasn't?' Remus replied smoothly and Sirius was silent. They walked out from under the tree and towards an empty bench. 'So, where do you think we should go?'

'We should go and creep Snape out - do it in front of him.' Sirius grinned maliciously, ideas flooding into his head as they sat down on the bench, warm from its daily baking session.

'Sirius, that's cruel.'

'Yeah. So? He won't be able to say anything to us because we're doing what he wanted. We can like... haunt him, remind him not to put Vows on people.' Sirius shoved his bag onto the ground at his feet.

'I see...'

'Dissaprove?'

'Slightly. But at the same time... I'm up to it. Should we go now?'

'Nah, tomorrow. I'm too bummed out from the test.' Sirius mumbled. 'OH! I have the best idea in the _whole-friggen-world_. We should embarrass the hell out of him! We should... Tomorrow, at breakfast we should...'

As he explained his plan to an attentive Remus, his grin grew steadily wider, more mischievous. They hadn't bothered Snape in awhile... He could use a slap in the face.

They only looked up from their plans to watch Peter walking gleefully across the courtyard, arm in arm with Emma, who was smiling at absolutely everybody as if they had all brought her glamorous gifts.

'Reckon they've had sex yet?' Sirius asked Remus, breaking of the stem of his devilish plan.

'Knowing Peter, no. But knowing Emma, maybe.' Remus said fairly. 'We can only guess.'

'Reckon he knows about the proper protection?' Sirius smirked, pulling out a piece of paper, scrunching it up and throwing it towards Peter and Emma's retreating backs, earning a scowl and book-attack to the head by a disapproving Remus.

*

Before heading to Potions, Sirius jogged up to Gryffindor Tower, arriving at the dungeons carrying a big paper bag with Zonko's written on it in ink. Remus screwed up his nose.

'What's that smell?' Remus coughed and Sirius's face spread with glee.

'It's _going _to be Snape. My order arrived this morning.'

As Professor Slughorn strode down the corridor dimly lit by green torches he clapped his hands and the class bustled inside. Sirius kept a close eye on Snape whose greasy curtain of hair hid is dark eyes as he slid into the dungeons. Pulling out his wand, Sirius muttered words under his breath, grinning as sparks encircled the contents of the bag.

Remus sat down in his chair and pulled out his books as Sirius began to charm the dungbombs to roll across the floor and situate themselves under Snape's seat.

After a few seconds, the stringy boy curled up his nose and looked under his seat. With a hiss he pulled out his wand and made the dungbombs fly back towards Sirius.

Remus put his head into his hands as this cycle continued and Slughorn informed the class about the potion they were to make.

As the teacher had begun walking around the class, Sirius and Snape had to stop and make their potions. The large man eyed each student's work with a twitch of his mustache and Sirius grit his teeth together, whispering to Remus as he crushed a baby unicorn's horn and threw the silver powder into his cauldron.

'You'll see. You just wait. I'll get him... We'll make it, Remus, we'll make it.'

Remus ignored him and continued with his potion.

At the end of class, Sirius threw himself out the door first, the bag of dungbombs under his arm. He watched as each student passed, forcing himself to grin at each of them until Snape left the door. Suddenly, Sirius jabbed his wand at the bag in his arms and pointed his wand at Snape.

Suddenly, the brown moss-covered balls flew out of the bag and surrounded Snape's head, attacking him. The other students passing glanced at Snape with a smirk on their faces but passed quickly, knowing that to be in the vicinity of any of Sirius's tricks was to be in on it.

Remus stood next to Sirius and watched Snape's irritable face, the sides of his mouth twitched and Sirius roared with laughter, flicking his wand towards Snape. Just when Sirius thought Snape was going to retreat calmly (which, admitably, would never happen), the Slytherin pulled out his wand and screamed, '_Reducto_!' and all twenty of the dung bombs exploded in the air, showering Remus and Sirius with fragments of dung. Snape's lip curled and Sirius looked incredibly bitter as Snape cleaned his robes with a wave of his wand and strode off.

'Git.' Sirius murmured, 'Those dung bombs cost a lot of money. He could have at least made it last...'

And as the two boys departed to their next class (History of Magic), Sirius thought up Plan B.

*

At lunch-time, Sirius's next plan was set in motion.

'It's a good thing James and I are top of the class,' he whispered as Snape floated down a corridor. He jumped in front of Snape and yelled, waving his wand wildly, casting several spells in quick succession.

All those who were in the corridor at the time burst out laughing at the sight of Snape.

Snape was standing, a large number of rubber-ducks squeaking at his feet with a large purple beak in place of his nose, his hair an electric blue. Remus couldn't contain himself and he broke into a giggle fit, clutching his sides. Sirius's grin could have matched that of the Joker's, a look of triumph on his face.

Snape opened his mouth to speak, his dark eyes furious, but all that came out of his mouth was a loud quack. His eyes widened in surprise as the squawk echoed down the corridor. Snape pulled out his wand and pointed it at Sirius. Instead of an incantation, a particularly loud quack left his mouth. Nothing happened.

Sirius roared with laughter and didn't notice the gleam that had appeared in Snape's eyes. His wand shot out and with a bang, Sirius was hanging upside down from his ankle.

The laughter stopped immediately and all that could be heard were a few giggles before complete silence washed over them. Snape strode up past the grinning students – including a few of his Slytherin friends – and up to the Hospital Wing, the rubber ducks bouncing after him, squeaking and twittering. The crowd ebbed away so as to not be late for the next class.

Sirius crossed his arms and Remus looked at him, an odd smile creeping across his face.

'How's it hanging?' Remus said and Sirius scowled.

'Shut up.'

Remus pulled out his wand and Sirius fell to the floor with a thud.

*

Plan C was planned to take place after dinner, at 2030.

Sirius ate his roast chicken, casting glances across at Snape whose peculiar beak, hair and ducky minions had disappeared. He too was shooting glances at Sirius, looks of hatred etched on his face.

'He's gotta snap. He's gotta snap. Snape's gotta snap.' Sirius was muttering, throwing a bone onto his plate. Remus sighed and looked at Snape wearily.

'What are you going to do this time?'

Sirius piled sausages onto his plate and stabbed one with his fork. 'You'll see, you'll see.'

James and Lily looked at them from across the table and Peter sighed, watching Emma at the Hufflepuff table.

'Did you really give him a beak?' Lily asked reproachfully and Sirius nodded madly.

James laughed. 'Fantastic! Hey, listen, when can I join in on the fun?'

'Sirius said this was between he and Snape.' Remus frowned. 'So I don't know...'

Remus placed some salad into his mouth and James turned to Sirius expectantly.

'Do you really want to "join in on the fun" with a couple of gays, Prongsie?' Sirius demanded and when James was silent, he grinned. 'I didn't think so. And Peter, are you going to eat anything or not?'

Peter's eyes were glazed over, focused on the one-and-only Emma. 'The only thing I want to eat is Emma...' he said absentmindedly and a silence filled the table. Then, realizing what he had just said, he cried. 'No! No! That's not what I mean... I mean-'

'It's called a Freudian slip, Wormtail.' Sirius cut him off, a glint in his eyes. 'It's okay, you're our friend. We understand.'

Peter blushed and poked the ear of corn on his plate with his fork, looking embarrassed. Suddenly, Sirius sat up.

'Maybe that's what'll embarrass him!' Sirius exclaimed looking at Lily in awe. Lily was confused. 'We should just mention you!'

Lily's face tinged with red and James looked bitter; the memory of Snape and Lily's kiss resurfacing unpleasantly.

'Think about it!'

'No.' Lily said sternly. 'No. No, Sirius, I forbid you to say anything!'

'Forbid me?' Sirius said dangerously, 'Is that a challenge?'

'Now you've done it.' Remus sighed, as Lily looked furious. James, Lily, Peter and Remus all stared at Sirius as a new plan, a _better _plan, filled his thoughts.

* * *

**A/N: What do you guys think of the Sirius-Snape wars? I won't be changing it because it's leading up to something... That's right! Conflict! We need a bit more conflict in this story and it's going to happen soon. That's right, quake with fear...  
**

**Also, I think I'd better point out that I'm aware of my grammar mistakes with dialogue. I've seen the Help page on Mugglenet fanfiction but I just can't be bothered to change the whole format of the dialogue at this point in the story. **

**Oh, and when Remus says "three days" he means three days including the one that has just started. Just to clear up any confusion, if there was some, because I've numbered the chapters with the appropriate days to help everybody keep track of how much time is left.  
**


	11. To 13: Cursed

'Snivellus!' Sirius cried, bounding over to the mass of green on the other side of the Great Hall, a few eyes following him.

'Snivelly!'

Snape looked like he had eaten an especially sour lemon as Sirius pushed over a few large Slytherin boys and sat down at the Slytherin table, making himself comfortable.

'Oi, you can't sit here!' said a voice and Sirius looked over. It was Derrek. The large Slytherin boy looked down his bony nose at Sirius and his lip twitched. Sirius's face paled. Derrek, this boy not a few seats from him, had almost raped his best friend. Not wanting to know what Derrek was thinking as he looked at him, Sirius turned back to Snape.

'How's it going, Snivelly?'

Snape looked like he was ready to hex him, his body stiff and his muscles tensing. His plate of food untouched and knife and fork placed delicately on the sides of the it.

'Get lost, Black.'

Sirius pushed aside a plate of mashed potatoes and rested his arms on the table. 'I could never get lost at Hogwarts.'

There was a silence but none of the Slytherins were bothering to get rid of him. Maybe they were excited to finally see something interesting happen, but if they were, it didn't show on their faces.

'How's Lily going?' Sirius lit up with mock interest. 'Did you know that she's going out with James Potter? Boy, what a pity!' his voice was even more mocking but still Snape didn't move, his face completely motionless.

'Why should I care what sort of scum a Mudblood like her dates?' Snape hissed and Sirius's face fell. _Maybe it had been a bad idea to come over here after all_, he thought, but then he mentally slapped himself.

'You lurrved her, didn't you, Snivellus? Lurrved the "Mudblood"?'

The Slytherins turned to Snape.

'No. Why would I?'

'You kissed her, didn't you? _You kissed her_!'

'Where's the proof?' Snape snarled. All of a sudden, the Slytherins yelled at Sirius and pushed him off the bench, jeering and shouting swear-words. He fell to the ground with a crash and the occupants of the Ravenclaw table smiled cruelly. Sirius returned to the Gryffindor table, looking grim as his friends looked at him expectantly, not having been able to see much over the heads of so many people.

'That one went down the toilet.' he murmured, sitting down.

Lily beamed.

*

'Sirius, no!' Remus scowled at the end of dinner, slamming his knife and fork down . 'No! I am not going to do it; it's just plain stupid.'

'If it wasn't, where would the fun be in it?'

Remus eventually (though reluctantly) consented and so after dinner, they caught up with Snape in a dimly-lit corridor, their arms around each other, putting on the most sexually-perverted looks they could manage. They could hear the drip-drip of a leaked pipe in the wall on their left as Sirius grabbed Snape's limp hand and pulled him around. Snape looked at them and raised an eyebrow.

'Severus...' Sirius said silkily, wrapping an arm around the now-petrified Snape. 'We were wondering if you'd like to... join us in a bit of...'

'Fun.' Remus finished, not as convincing at Sirius. Snape's face turned slightly green.

'No.' he said stiffly, pushing the two boys off of him. But Sirius followed and wrapped his arms around Snape's cold neck, ignoring the danger that they could be hexed at any moment. But this was part of the plan... Make Snape embarrassed, make him snap. The idea was that he was supposed to lose control - supposed to get angry...

'A threesome? You, me and Remus. How about it?' he said in a husky voice, breathing his hot breath all over the white skin. Remus knew immediately that _this _plan to embarrass Snape had failed horribly and he pulled out his wand to defend himself as Snape shouted '_Petrificus Totalus_!'

Sirius's arms and legs locked together and he fell to the floor with a thump. Snape stared down his crooked nose at him, a look of revulsion across his face.

'You think you're so amusing...' Snape sneered, stepping on Sirius's hand with a crunching sound before striding down the corridor and out of sight. Remus looked sadly at Sirius and un-hexed him. Sirius rubbed his hand, looking down the corridor with a look of mild surprise and pure hatred.

'Why don't you give it up?' Remus asked, helping him to his feet. Sirius shook his head angrily.

'Never.' he growled and pulled Remus up to the Gryffindor Tower, where his failed attempt would be appreciated.

*

On Tuesday, Sirius had finally taken up their original idea and kissed whenever they could in front of Snape. The first time this happened, Sirius had turned Remus around, a look of longing and eagerness on his face as Snape was making their way down the corridor. He had taken Remus's face in his hands and kissed him firmly and passionately. Remus almost fell over when they had finished, gasping for breath.

'People have to breath, you know, Sirius.' he said pointedly, though he looked impressed. Sirius grinned at Remus and then glanced down the hall at Snape's figure growing smaller.

Ignoring the fascinated looks and giggles from other students, Sirius grumbled.

'He didn't see us.'

Remus sighed and continued to their next class. After kissing in between classes, Sirius, determined to get Snape to see, was disappointed with Snape's lack of reaction. They kissed in dark corners, in the middle of lit hallways and even in front of sallow-faced teachers. Remus felt a stab of hurt at the thought that Sirius didn't really care that they were kissing - didn't really care about Remus - that he was just abusing their relationship over stupid Severus Snape and Sirius's plan for revenge.

'Did it ever occur to you that he might just be ignoring us?' Remus said exasperatingly and Sirius frowned and muttered, to Remus's disappointment:

'It's time to bring out the big guns.'

*

The next morning they descended into the Great Hall wearing a large and bulky pair of black robes to cover themselves, ready to show the Hall a show – at least, Sirius was. They stood in the middle of the noisy Hall and Sirius whispered to Remus, who looked nervous, shivering under his cloak.

'Ready?'

'I'm ready if you are.' Remus's voice shook.

'That's what I like to hear.'

And then, suddenly, ignoring the whispers from Lily, James, Peter and Emma, they jumped up onto the Gryffindor Table and threw off their cloaks. Sirius's final and according-to-him most brilliant plan was about to start. Their mission: make Snape snap.

Sirius had told Remus sternly that they wouldn't stop until they got some sort of reaction from the said Slytherin and Remus, though feeling a horrible sensation of foreboding, dread and unease, agreed, hoping that once it was over, Sirius would have given up on Snape once and for all.

The Great Hall burst into raucous laughter.

Sirius was wearing a flamboyant, rainbow coloured shirt and a pair of tight-fitting flared jeans with a rainbow stitched onto the back pocket. Remus was wearing a cosplaying uniform; Link with the green pointy hat and tiny dagger included. Remus blushed and Sirius beamed at the crowd.

'Where did you buy these again?' Remus hissed.

'Muggle shop.' Sirius smirked.

Then Sirius took Remus's hand, put his arm around Remus's waist, and they began to dance around the top of the table, knocking over bowls of cereal, stepping on pieces of toast, and sending jugs of Pumpkin Juice flying. Though a few students yelled in irritation that their food and drink was being knocked over, most of them smirked at the dancing couple.

Sirius whispered to Remus over the laughs and jeers of the crowd.

'Having fun?'

'Not particularly.'

'Oh, well, you will when the song starts.'

Sirius flung himself across the table, skidding across the wood like a rock-star, knocking plates onto the laps of their owners. The teachers were watching with amused expressions on their faces - Sirius's previous antics at breakfast not easily forgotten - as Sirius leaped through the air like a ballet dancer and threw a hand out to Remus dramatically.

'I think many of you Muggle-Borns out there will know this god-awful song. It's from a movie James forced me to watch one summer, and I am proud to say it is absolutely horrible.'

He began tapping his foot on the table, starting up the big dance number, casting a glance at Snape who looked both confused and... amused?

He opened his mouth wide and sung the lyrics to the well-known Muggle song, not caring whether to do it justice or not.

'I got chills.  
They're multiplyin'.  
And I'm losin' control.  
'Cause the power  
you're supplyin',  
it's electrifyin'!'

He wasn't the best singer but he hit all the notes and stepped forward in beat to the music as several Muggle-Born girls squealed in excitement. Some of them even started clapping to help the beat along but one Muggle-Born was forced to stop by the friend sitting next to them who looked deeply embarrassed. Remus jumped forward towards Sirius and screamed out his lyrics.

'You better shape up,  
'cause I need a man'

The crowd jerred and someone yelled "Yeah, right!"

'and my heart is set on you.'

A few Muggle-Born girls sung along with them, ignoring the confused looks from their peers, clearly having the time of their lives. Not even their wildest dreams included two queers dancing on tables to Grease music.

'You better shape up;  
you better understand  
to my heart I must be true.'

Sirius grinned, if possible, even broader and lifted Remus into the air, swinging him around like they were in the middle of Grease themselves, maybe a campy duo in the background.

'Nothin' left, nothin' left for me to do.'

All of a sudden, Sirius and Remus threw themselves around to face Severus Snape whose jaw dropped open in horror as they pointed at him and sung in unison.

'You're the one that I want!'

They jumped off the table with a bang and sprinted across the Great Hall and over the other tables, cutlery clattering, plates smashing, food flying, and finally leaping in front of Snape on the Slythering table with a look of determination on their faces.

'You are the one that I want! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!'

Sirius pulled out his wand and shot it at Snape, who was forced up onto the table with them as they yelled the chorus. Snape's face was pale and he cursed and swore as Sirius and Remus linked arms and danced around in a circle with him.

'The one that I want! You are the one I want! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!'

The Slytherins cackled with laughter and threw toast crusts at them which rebounded off their clothes.

'That's not very nice!' Sirius roared as Remus sung "The one I need. Oh, yes indeed.'

Snape pulled himself away from the wizards and grit his teeth together, his long fingers searching in his robes, receiving shouts of encouragement from his fellow Slytherins which couldn't be heard over the shrieks of laughter in the hall.

Remus looked at Sirius, finally looking like he was having some fun, and they both sung Olivia Newton-John's next verse together.

'If you're filled  
with affection  
you're too shy to convey,'

But Sirius knew immediately what Snape was doing and Remus hadn't even noticed that he had raised his wand... Glancing from Remus's smiling face to Snape's look of fury, Sirius threw himself at the Slytherin and they crashed off the table and onto the floor; but Snape had managed to shoot his spell. It hit Remus squarely in the chest and his pointed hat whipped off his mousy head as he flew off the table and hit the floor with a sickening crack.

As if a television had been put on pause, the clapping, the laughter, all the singing stopped. Silence filled the hall and Sirius was inches from Snape's face, his eyebrows raised, perturbed.

'Get off me!' Snape snarled, pushing the rainbow-coloured boy off him and brushing his robes. 'You fucking homo.'

Sirius had had enough. With all the force he could muster he punched Snape in the head. Snape was thrown to the floor, knocked out as Sirius spun around and jumped off the table, crouching down to Remus, worry aching his throat. Teachers began to swarm around them, shouting and screaming disapproval and Sirius watched, his heart losing itself a few beats at the state of his boyfriend; Remus Lupin.

His entire face and green-covered chest was covered in thick, sticky blood and a large dark slash covered his face from his temple down to his chin. He watched numbly as Remus was lifted out of the scarlet pool and rushed out of the Hall. The buzzing of the Great Hall did not comfort him as he stood amongst the deathly silence.

It was so quiet you could have dropped a pin and heard it perfectly. He looked from the stunned looks of James, Lily and Peter to the raucous Slytherins and to Snape, who stirred on the ground. He gave Snape a hard kick and stormed out of the hall, scooping up his and Remus's cloaks on the way. The Great Hall's doors slammed shut behind him and the noise echoed throughout the Hogwarts walls. Sirius drew a shuddering breath, feeling nauseous, and fainted.

*

Somebody had nudged his ribs. He opened his eyes. He looked up into James's worried face and groaned. Sirius clutched his face. Lily, next to him, bent down and helped him up as Peter whimpered and shook. Emma, next to him was (thankfully) quiet. Sirius's legs quavered and he held his head in agony.

'Bloody hell...' Sirius moaned, his head throbbing from hitting the floor. 'Bloody hell...'

They all looked at him and Sirius stumbled as he took a step forward; he had never fainted before in his life.

'No offense, mate...' James began, looking uncertainly at his friends, 'But that was so incredibly GAY!'

Sirius forced a smile, 'That's what we were going for...' there was a pause, 'What about... Remus? How is he?'

'You're in shock.' Lily said hurriedly, 'Take it easy-'

'Snape was a real jerk!' Peter said loudly and Emma nodded to Sirius's annoyance.

'Look,' Lily interrupted, 'I know you're worried, but we can't see him at the moment. He was a mess though... Do you know what spell he used?'

'No...' Sirius said.

'It was the Sectumsempra Curse.' Lily explained knowingly, 'Snape made it up. It's pretty nasty.'

'How do you know?' James blurt out, 'What does it do?'

Lily grimaced, 'I know because Snape and I are friends, despite... Well, y'know. And it's really horrible... I heard it cuts into your skin or something... The wound doesn't heal easily - but that's all I know.'

Sirius's face whitened.

'Let's go.' he said.

'You can't...' Lily moaned. 'You can't - the teachers won't let anybody see him.'

'I don't care.' Sirius shot, but then he turned to his ratty friend. 'Wait. Wait... Peter! You can sneak in for us! Do it.'

Peter looked nervous.

'Do it, do it, do it, do it, Peter, god damn you, do it!'

Emma spoke up. 'Why can't you guys do it?'

Sirius grimaced. 'Because... Peter's especially good with teachers... aren't you? Able to sneak right past them with your talent... A - lot - like - a - rat - actually.'

Peter caught Sirius's eye and took a deep breath, nodding. 'I'll be right back.' he said, and as he headed up the staircase, the doors of the Great Hall opened and hundreds of students poured out of it, maneuvering past them like they didn't exist - like nothing had happened in the Great Hall. As Lily, James and Peter followed the crowd to class, Sirius about to follow them, he noticed Snape's greasy black hair exiting the hall and bounded forward, grabbing him by the hem of his robes and shaking him.

'HOW DARE YOU FUCKING HURT REMUS!' Sirius bellowed, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the point in-between Snape's eyes, '_You should be grateful I don't blast you into an oblivion_.'

Snape's lip curled as Sirius shook with fury. 'I doubt you could.'

'Don't tempt me, Snivellus.'

But this time when Snape walked right past him, Sirius stared after him blankly. He considered for a moment beating the hell out of him but then, for the first time in his life, he asked himself "What good would it do?"

He turned around and headed into the Great Hall to clean up the mess, only to find everything was spotless. Arriving at the spot where Remus had landed, he turned into his Animagus form; the dog, and bounded out of the Great Hall. His bushy tail whipped out of sight as he padded into the grounds, and towards the Forbidden Forrest which loomed amongst the frosty mist.

*

'Where's Sirius?' Lily asked James during their Potions lesson, looking at Snape's satisfied look through the fumes with suspicion. 'You don't think Snape did something to him, do you?'

'Nah.' James said, pouring Huckleberry juice into his cauldron, 'No way. Sirius would kill him before he did anything.'

'Well, in that case... Why is he still here?'

James looked through the steam at Snape who was looking very smug.

He frowned; something was wrong.

The smell of Armontenia did not comfort him today, but he returned to his potion as Professor Slughorn came over, nodding at Lily's potion.

'Well done, Miss Evans. You're a natural, a real natural.'

James bit his lip and sneered at the teacher, 'Professor? If I give you some crystallized pineapple will I get good marks too?'

'Don't be silly, Potter.' Slughorn chuckled, mustache wiggling on his face. 'Miss Evans has not been given me crystallized pineapple!'

Peter looked at them and into his failed attempt of potion, a sewerage smell wafted out of it but it was soon gone as Professor Slughorn flicked his wand and the potion vanishing into thin air. He continued walking along the rows, observing the different potions.

'So you said that Remus is asleep?' James asked Peter quietly.

'Yup.' Peter nodded frantically, wiping his forehead where beads of sweat had appeared. 'He's got a cracked skull and a horrible scar across his face though... I don't think that'll ever heal - that's what the teachers said anyway.'

'Well... I suppose it'll blend in with his other scars...' Lily said absentmindedly, pouring some of her potion into a tube and labeling it as James looked at her, his eyes startled.

* * *

**A/N: I hope the scene had the same effect on people as I hoped it would. Let me know if it didn't, and if it did... let me know too! Will you guys think of the song "You're the one that I want" from Grease the same ever again? Just wondering. Oh, and, obviously the song "You're the one that I want" isn't mine so... so there. Hope you liked Sirius's plan. It's a bit ridiculous but I suppose he had to "bring out the big guns" as he put it. Pity it had to end up as it did. Hope this doesn't discourage any of you to keep reading, because you guys are marvellous readers.  
**


	12. To 14: A Try at Kindness

They got the news that Remus was awake and healthy later that evening, but he wasn't let out until the next day (Wednesday). As soon as he was let out, James, Lily and Peter were all waiting for him just outside the Hospital Wing, clutching various books that they shoved into his arms. He looked at them, astounded, and James frowned, trying not to look at the gash across his face or the bags under his eyes.

'Homework.' he said gruffly.

Remus looked to them all, feeling that something was very wrong. 'Where's Sirius?'

'You need to read pages two-hundred and eighty seven to three-hundred and eleven by Thursday...' James said, pointing to the Astrology book.

'Yes, okay, but where's Sirius?' Remus said firmly.

'Oh and pages one-hundred and sixteen to one-hundred and fifty by Friday, for Transfiguration- we're moving onto a more advanced form of human transfiguration.'

'Where's Sirius?'

'Page nine in Charming Charms too... we need to analyze a picture of some bloke and say where he's doing the spell wrong and why...' James continued and Remus's jaw muscles convulsed.

'WHERE IS SIRIUS?'

His friends all looked at him blankly.

'That time of the month, Moony?' James chuckled humorlessly but Remus's eyes had narrowed so much they could have turned James's brain into a bowl of moldy, old porridge.

Lily slapped James on the arm and took the books from Remus, shoving them back into James's arms before pulling Remus into a tight embrace. Remus's eyes singed and the large slash across his face throbbed.

'Where is he...?' Remus groaned weakly, 'What happened to him?'

Lily pulled away from Remus and drew a sharp breath.

'Tell me... please.' Remus begged. 'Please. Did Snape do something to him?'

His friends were exchanging uncertain looks between each other and Lily sighed.

'Look, Remus, we're sorry to tell you this but... See, he was awake and he was all okay and then... well we went to class and we thought he had followed us but he hadn't. He never turned up to any classes and...' Lily gasped and her voice shook. 'Oh, Remus! We don't know any more than you do.'

'Did Snape get him?' he asked quietly.

'We dunno.' James said adjusting his hold on the books. 'We don't know.'

But Remus had already sprinted down the corridor, his friends not even bothering to stop him, his eyes burning revenge.

*

'Nice scar, werewolf.' Snape sneered as Remus approached him during his Double Potions class. Students weren't normally allowed into classes that weren't their own but Professor Slughorn, eyeing his injury with distaste, allowed him to talk to Snape for a few minutes. Remus didn't care what punishment Snape had gotten - if he did something to Sirius, it wasn't good enough.

'What did you do to Sirius?'

Snape didn't look erred. 'Nothing.' and when Remus looked like he was about to smack him, Snape said, 'I'm being honest with you. I swear. I haven't done anything.'

'I don't believe you...' Remus snapped and Snape shrugged.

'Have it your way, then.'

Remus's eyebrow quivered.

'What happened to him then?'

Snape snarled, 'Like I have any idea what your little doggy does in his spare time. I thought you'd know that.'

'Well he's gone.' Remus sighed and Snape turned to face him properly, abandoning his Sleeping Draught for a moment. They stared into each other's eyes and Remus suddenly understood why Lily was friends with him, behind the dark eyes, if you looked hard enough - really hard - there was a shining shard of something...

Snape heaved a heavy sigh. 'Your dog-friend threatened me outside the Great Hall and then he disappeared. I don't know what happened to him. Maybe he went to Hogsmead to purchase some more dung-bombs...'

Remus thought that James and Peter would have already searched the Marauder's Map for Sirius. Feeling as though all hope was lost, he asked something he never thought he would ask in such a gloomy, dark place as the dungeon; let alone all of Hogwarts.

'Severus, will you help me find him?'

Something gleamed in Snape's eye and he stiffened before nodding curtly, returning to his potion, a silver mist floating over the cauldron. 'Fine.'

*

Remus attended his classes and caught up on homework and work in the library at lunch-break. He and Snape had agreed to meet in the library at eleven o'clock at night, when they could be sure nobody else was around. When Remus found him amongst Charms books that night, Snape gave him a tight smile and Remus gave a small nod. The buzzing cold of the library was lit only by an the torches on the walls and at the end of ailes and they discussed places Sirius could have gone and why he would have gone there. They searched through books for inspiration, through large volumes and encyclopedias, through books on Hogwarts and its surrounding towns and hours later they were slumped across the table in exhaustion, their eyes strained and aching. After a few minutes in silent resting on books, Remus decided to ask something that had been bothering him ever since that morning.

'So, why did you decide to help me?' Remus asked, curious and Snape lifted his head out of his arms.

'Wanted to.' said the boy and he grunted, standing and pulling a book of a shelf. Remus wasn't satisfied with this answer.

'Why?'

Snape didn't answer for a few minutes instead looking through the leather-bound book in concentration. The moon glimmered outside the window and Remus frowned, it was half-full.

'Because I felt guilty, you foolish werewolf! Are you happy now? Going to laugh?' he looked bitterly at the book titled "Animals: Their Magical Properties and Characteristics"

'I am, actually...' Remus said slowly, 'And no, I'm not going to laugh.'

Snape looked up in surprise, bitterness flying across the table. 'Why? Black and Potter always do and you and Pettigrew always join in.'

'Laughing is a bit contagious.' Remus shrugged, waving the anger away and sitting down next to Snape, looking at him in admiration. 'I'm sorry things didn't work out between you and Lily, by the way.'

Snape stiffened and his eyes flickered, though with what Remus couldn't be sure. 'Okay.'

Remus smiled at Snape fondly and Snape stood up abruptly, pointing in the middle of a page.

'I've found your friend.'

Remus corrected him automatically, 'Boyfriend-'

Snape looked confused but then shook his head, nodding at the book. 'It says that your friend's Animagus form, the great black dog, and I quote: "Although the great black enjoys company, at times it will find itself longing for solitude in which case it will leave its pack for a few days at the very most a month." so there you go.' Snape said finally. 'I figured as the Animagi takes on after the Animagus's personality, this should apply.'

Remus stared at the book, his face pale. 'To a month? A _month_?'

'That's what it says.'

'He wouldn't do that... He should be back in a few days.'

Snape's eye twitched irritably. 'Like I know. I'm just reading what the book says.'

Remus sighed and Snape lifted his head.

'Remus...'

The mousy-haired boy looked up at the sound of his name that Snape seemed to be forcing out of his mouth, like nice things.

'Are you and Black really...?'

He didn't finish his sentence but Remus knew what he was asking.

'Yes.' he nodded and sat down again. A cool breeze washed over their faces. 'The irony of it all is it's because of the Vow you made us do.'

'Oh... I'm sorry...' Snape said before adding. 'About the Vow... I could have done something different... Something worse...'

Remus patted his arm and walked over to the window, looking down at the pitch-black grounds. He scanned across the edge of the forest and his eyes fixed on a strange dark figure... A dog.

'SIRIUS!'

Bending out of the window, he yelled, the wind roaring in his ears. 'Sirius Black!'

The dog sat up and headed into the forest, its tail whipping behind him.

'NO!' Remus shouted. 'SIRIUS! SIRIUS!'

He felt a tug on his robes and he was thrown back into the library. Snape had his hand clenched on his robes, a troubled look etched into his pale face, mirroring that of Remus's.

They stared at each other for a few moments and then Snape jerked his head towards the window and said. 'You were about to fall out.'

Then, without a further word, he strode out of the library. Remus stared after him with a confused look upon his face, then followed him out, his shoes tapping against the floor all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. The thing that bothered him the most was why Sirius had appeared and disappeared again at the sound of his voice. Didn't he care about him anymore? Did he really just want to get away from everything? As he lay down in his bed, he realized, with a pang of sadness, that the Vow had broken a few more than twenty minutes ago... and Sirius wasn't there to share the moment with him.

* * *

**A/N: It's all very sad... Poor Remus. Stay tuned, the story's not over yet, just because the Vow is! However, if you think the story shoud finish soon, let me know because I'm either deciding to finish it in a few chapters time or continue it longer than that. Let me know what you think. Should I extend the story further or stop it simply? Let me know!**

**Also, another note... Looking back on a few chapters I've realized that there are a few spelling and grammar mistakes and you'll just have to bear with me. I'm sorry though, and as a writer it irritates me to death that I made such mistakes but to be frank, I won't be going back and fixing them.  
**


	13. Isolation

The next few days were extremely lonely for Remus Lupin.

His friends were supportive when he told them of what was found in the book (though he didn't tell them that Snape had found it) and as they completed tests and Sirius's name was called at roll-call, Remus couldn't help wishing that Sirius was there with them, laughing and joking their worries away. Remus felt the weight lifting off his shoulders during the day as he finished his final tests, but the miserable rotting feeling inside of him didn't go away.

He tried to join in with his friends and their day-to-day antics but he found he couldn't fully grasp their conversations. Chocolate Frog Cards ... Snape spending his detentions in the Greenhouses ... a book on ways to style your hair James wanted to borrow to see what Peter looked like with an 'fro ... the lack of alchemy books in the library ... all these subjects came as blur to him. Remus had become disconnected from his friends. He had become so used to spending time with Sirius that his absence irked him into silence and whenever Lily tried to speak with him, Remus gave short answers.

'Are you okay, Remus?' she had asked him one evening in the common-room.

Remus had shrugged, 'I'm okay, Lily.' and then walked up the stairs.

Soon James, Lily and Peter had given up trying to pry thoughts or feelings out of him and reverted to talking between themselves, occasionally shooting hopeful looks towards him - as if certain he was going to join in their exciting discussions at any moment.

'I wanted to read more about alchemy...' Lily complained at breakfast. 'But all the books are gone!'

Remus looked up from his plate of bacon - hardly touched - and thought about alchemy books. Fantasizing over different ways Sirius could come back was becoming useless and he needed something new to occupy his mind with. So at lunch-time he went to the library. James, Lily, Peter and Emma didn't follow him.

He looked under the 'A's and found no trace of an alchemy book. Noticing the gap where the alchemy books should have been, he pressed his hand through the gap - only to find that there was no gap. He pulled the invisible-books out of the shelves and pulled out his wand, tapping the bulk and muttering a spell under his breath.

The books appeared. Remus felt a glimmer of achievement: now they knew where the alchemy books had been hidden ... The question was: who had hidden them?

He felt somebody's presence next to him and turned. It was Severus Snape. He looked at the leather-bound books with a serious expression.

He held out a long-fingered hand and Remus gave away one of the books. Snape's eyes darted to the book he had been given to the others Remus was holding and then Remus shoved the rest of them into his outstretched palm. Snape nodded at him stiffly and strode out of the library, carrying the books in his arms. Remus stood rooted to the spot. So Snape had hidden the books...

Thinking glumly that there was nothing in the library he really wanted to read, he left it, plagued thoughts of Sirius filling his mind.

*

A couple of weeks later, Remus had given up all hope for Sirius returning and he spent increasingly long hours up in the Astronomy Tower, especially on the days leading up to the full moon. He didn't mind the social isolation from his peers, he enjoyed his own company and looking at cloudy sky, he wondered if Sirius would return on the day of the full-moon; when he and his friends needed him the most.

As the day darkened, Remus became increasingly jumpy, and irritable - flinching as his friends poked and prodded him during class which aggravated him even more.

Thunder shook the air and Remus could only think how grateful he was that the Slytherins had stopped imitating his and Sirius's dance in the Great Hall, mock-kissing each other spitefully. Most of all, though, he was grateful the questions had stopped.

'Where's Sirius?'

'Dunno.'

'Why'd he leave?'

'Dunno.'

'Are you guys still together?'

'Dunno.'

He had returned to his pathetic werewolf bundle on the Astronomy Tower like he did every month and he smiled as the clouds darkened and thunder shook the grounds. Sitting up, he leaned over the edge of the Tower, considering for a moment what it would feel like to jump down. He imagined the wind rushing past his ears, whistling as the cold made his robes flutter and slapped his face.

Last weekend he had gone to Hogsmead looking for Sirius and even found the black dog in the alleyway - the one he _wasn't_ looking for.

'Have you seen him?' Remus had asked it, peering in to its large black eyes, but the dog merely looked at him, causing Remus to scream in frustration.

He was just feeling water droplets hit his face when he heard a screech from the entrance to the Astronomy Tower. Emma was crying, clutching her face and Remus saw specks of scarlet and smelt blood.

'What happened?' demanded Remus in a low voice, speaking properly for the first time in days.

'Sirius!' she shrieked, sobbing and pointing at her face. 'Look what he did to me! _Look what he did!_'

'I don't think Peter will care.' Remus said heartlessly and then frowned, half-way through turning around. 'Wait, did you say Sirius? Sirius is back?'

Emma wailed, her blonde hair now tinged with blood, a large slash across her arms and face. 'Oh- oh! It stings!'

'Go to the Hospital Wing, then.' Remus said coldly, 'If Sirius isn't back then I don't want to hear a single word out of your stupid little mouth.'

Emma puffed herself up as the rain fell harder against their shoulders. 'James and Lily and Peter are right - you really can get moody around the full moon. PMS, huh?'

Remus ignored her and deciding she wasn't going away, questioned her again, curiosity sparking hope inside him.

'So, Sirius? You said it was Sirius?'

'Yes, it was him. He was standing there, looking out to Care of Magical Creatures class- you know, it just finished - but then there was a weird flash of... _black _and I had these scratches! I don't know how he did it... He must have cursed me. THE BASTARD!' she screamed and flew out the arched entrance to get fixed up.

Remus stared up at the clouds and blinked as some rain landed on his eye.

_Sirius was in the Forest..._

'Bastard.' Remus muttered angrily, lying down and rolling over, resting in the wet and cold.

*

The damp earth got in their hair as they made their way through the Whomping Willow's tunnel that night, looking over their shoulder in case Snape had decided to come along again ... But Remus didn't think he would bother.

He was taking deep, gulping breaths, and trying to ignore James saying 'Almost there, almost there...'

Remus tripped over a tree root.

'Crap.' James said and picked him up, shooting a nasty look at a rat on the ground. 'Go check it's empty, will you?'

They waited half way down the tunnel, waiting for Peter to return and Remus slumped against the dirt wall.

'C'mon, Remus, wake up.'

'I - am- awake - thank - you.' Remus gasped, clutching his arms.

'Good to know, good to know.' said a gruff voice abruptly.

'James, shut up.' snarled Remus, trying to keep himself steady but then the voice spoke again.

'_James_? God, how dumb are you?'

Then Remus, his stomach filling with dread, horror, mingled happiness and excitement, turned around to see Sirius Black standing next to James. James looked stunned but Sirius ...

Sirius looked horrible. His face was covered in uneven stubble, his hair matted and a total mess, some strands sticking up, some stained with blood. His hands and feet were covered in dirt and his robes were badly torn. There were small cuts on his arms and face, and large bags under his hard, grey eyes.

Remus took this image into his mind but felt his legs splinter. He collapsed onto the floor and Sirius flew down besides him.

'Remus-' he said.

'You coward...' Remus wheezed, staring at him. Sirius's eyes darted to the large slash across his face as Remus continued. 'You... filthy- horrible - bloody, idiot! You -'

But his spiel had been cut short as Sirius's lips pressed themselves against Remus's.

The splintering spread through his torso and into his neck, slowly creeping up into his face and not even Sirius's kiss could distract him from the pain. But he could feel it, he could feel Sirius's warmth like a glowing beacon, he could feel the way Sirius's tongue slid across his own, prying his mouth open. He could hear the pounding of his heart, the rumbling of fear in his chest... he could feel his shoulders cracking and creaking.

He pulled away, struggling for breath and Sirius threw his strong arms around Remus's torso which had begun to shudder and shake. Remus's eyes were wide and he was panting, tasting dirt and raw meat on his tongue. Sirius's fingers dug into Remus's sides as he pulled him close and Remus groaned.

'Sirius ...'

But Sirius didn't say anything. He supported Remus's head and kissed him once more on the lips, the gentle touch and slight wetness sending threads of joy through Remus's aching body, the fumbling more of a comfort than the confidence. But it could hardly be felt under the agonizing pain - the sharp stabs taking place of the splinters, the jabbing in his joints and the cold pulsing creeping over his body like spiders. He felt his jaw lengthen, his limbs elongate, the tail grow and as he transformed, so did Sirius, and as the two great beasts stared at each other, Remus lost his mind.

Peter came scrambling back at the end of the tunnel as the werewolf and great black dog slashed at each other. The stag guarded the passageway, ready to get involved if he had to when Peter turned into a human about twenty meters down the track and yelled, 'EMMA IS AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!'

Peter was now no-longer human and the rat scurried at the werewolf's paws, distracting it.

Prongs's large eyes stared at the rat and snorted in derision, not even bothering to ask what Emma was doing there. Perhaps she had come back to remember Peter and her's time there but ...

The dog and the stag communicated with each other as the dog dodged a swipe from the werewolf.

_'Get him to the Shrieking Shack.'_ Prongs's voice echoed in Padfoot's mind.

_'What about Emma?'_

_'If she's smart, she'll run for her life. But we can't keep him in here - there's not enough room to control him.'_

The animals bounded towards the Shack, the werewolf snarling and gnashing its teeth at them as it followed. Their noisy entrance to the Shack made the girl scream and as the stag arrived upstairs to push her away and the werewolf bounded up the stairs, she yelped in fright.

'The animal spirits!' gasped Emma, taking a step backwards. Prongs nudged her with his antlers in encouragement and Emma tripped over on her way out of the window. But the stag didn't have time to so much as care about this because the werewolf had entered, smelling human blood.

The grey beast was ferocious. It seemed that all its anger and frustration built up from the last month was being unleashed in this full moon and after a few hours of fierce fighting, the werewolf was knocked out by Prongs hitting him in the head with his hind-hooves.

*

When they woke up, nothing had prepared them for what lay outside the window of the Shrieking Shack. Emma's body was twisted and mangled on the ground below, specked with blood. James ordered a sobbing Peter to go up to the castle, tell a teacher what had happened and to bring them here to deal with the body.

'Lie, Peter.' James warned, his eyes piercing. 'You must not tell the teachers what really happened… Say it was a freak accident… Dumbledore will understand what happened when the news reaches him.'

When Remus woke, he crawled over to Sirius's body and touched the blood on his face, his hands, his feet, staring regretfully at the bruises. Cuts and scratches covered what body was showing, a harsh decoration painted by a raving psychopath.

'Why did you leave ... ?' Remus murmured sadly, touching Sirius's face. At the touch, Sirius woke, groaning and scratching at his wounds.

'Eh...?' said Sirius dumbly, noticing Remus was there. 'What happened?'

'Emma is ... I think she's ... _dead_ ...' Remus said in a numb voice. Sirius stiffened.

'Crap.'

'Yes, it's rather ... unfortunate.' he sighed and Sirius winced.

'No ... not just because that ... It's just ... My leg's broken.'

'Oh.' Remus frowned, tears filling his eyes as he looked fearfully at Sirius's bloodied leg. He could almost feel the distant memory; lifting the dog from the belly with his wolf-ish head and throwing him across the room into a wall, a snapping noise filling the room as he hit the floor. Remus felt an ache in his throat. 'This is the worst day of my life.'

'Hey, why? C'mon, I came back, didn't I?'

'Yeah... but still... it's all my fault.'

The Marauders had heard this line too many times to feel pity for him, Sirius was no exception.

'It's not your fault you were bitten.' Sirius said sternly, 'So get that delusion out of your head - you can't help it. It's not your fault.'

Remus's brain buzzed and Sirius looked nervously at him.

'So, why did you leave?' he asked.

Sirius frowned and held his leg as James, who, having listened, picked up a broken floor board and tied it to his leg as a splint with some fabric torn off the couch. He used his wand to fasten the fabric around the board. Sirius grimaced at James and said to Remus:

'I think you know why I left.'

Remus's jaw clenched.

'No, I don't. Tell me why you left.'

Sirius's reaction was not one Remus expected; his voice was sharp.

'You know why. And if you think about it, you'll figure it out.'

Sirius held his leg, gritting his teeth together and then looked pleadingly into the amber eyes.

'Look, I'm sorry, but I just felt like I had to get away ... you must know how that feels ... you know how you leave every few days before and after the full moon? Well, that was my full-moon phase, I think ...'

A split second later, a shriek filled the air and the boys fell silent as voices whispered outside. The aftereffect of a full moon left the entire group disorientated and confused – dazed and barely awake. Peter was already back with a teacher and by the sounds of the scream ... Lily.

'My god, he was right! She's dead! She's dead!'

The howling wind and cold bite wasn't all that chilled their bones. Peter was crying outside, and Lily was swearing her disgust. James and Remus exchanged glances and picked Sirius up, helping him walk as they left back to Hogwarts, the sight of Emma's beautiful body, scarred and mangled, burned in their memories.

'She's dead! Oh my god, she's dead. What did this? How did this happen? Maybe she was pushed?'

'It was a freak accident...' Peter's voice was muffled.

'It's horrible.' Lily whispered.

'I always knew this place was haunted,' the scratchy voice finished and James bit his lip at the sound of the Potions Master.

_Professor Slughorn and Emma ..._ he thought bitterly, picturing screwdly how the Proffesor would be boasting to the staff and students about his discovery of the wasted girl at the bottom of the Shrieking Shack. _What a story that would be_ ...

* * *

**A/N: Wow, this took awhile to edit - even longer than normal because my mouse malfunctioned and I had to use a keyboard to browse through Everything. This was originally going to be the final chapter but I've got a new idea to build up on this one and I've started writing it. The new chapters won't be up immediately but once I've written them they'll be moving smoothly. And don't worry, I won't leave this un-finished - there's nothing I hate more than leaving a story incomplete so I assure you you will be getting all of it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope you will enjoy the rest of the story. Cheers!**


	14. I'm not Bloody Santa Claus

Sirius's return was explained quite simply to those students who asked as: got lost. But Sirius didn't take kindly to this, saying that getting "lost" was an insult his intelligence. So, thanks to the dog-Animagus, the story changed from "got lost" to "fought a heroic battle against Dementors using no magic at all to save various helpless wizarding-children from evil and thus harm's way."

'I don't know why they don't believe it...' Sirius told Remus over lunch the day he had gotten back, looking concerned. The Gryffindor Table was absent; James, Lily in the library along with a jumpy Peter. Sirius pulled a sandwich apart on his plate and Remus had barely touched the quiche Sirius had thrown upon his. 'I mean, you'd think I told them I battled _Santa_!'

'Mmm,' Remus mumbled.

Sirius waved a hand in front of Remus's face, his white teeth flashing.

'Remus... C'mon. Look! My leg's better! I can walk now, see?' he got up and did a pirouette behind Remus. 'And Emma's going to be fine...'

'They thought she was dead...' Remus murmured. 'They said she was dead.'

'But she wasn't dead.' Sirius said.

'But she WAS dead!' Remus said hoarsely, putting his head in his arms. 'Oh, god... She was dead... _she was_... If it weren't for Dumbledore helping her, she'd be dead for good.'

'But she's not dead and that's the thing. I mean, sure her skull cracked ... her spine snapped ... her arm broke ... but she's alive ... not that bad if you think about it.'

Remus looked like he was going to throw up - his face was a sickly white colour and beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead.

Sirius slid across the bench and held Remus's face in his hands, the cold sweat sliding across his palms.

'You're burning up.'

'Are you kidding?' Remus threw his arms around himself defensively. 'I'm freezing!'

'Yeah, and it's Summer.'

Sirius pulled a shivering Remus to his feet and dragged him out of the Great Hall, a sudden-worry filling his chest.

*

Half way down a warm, sun-lit corridor, Remus pushed Sirius's arm off his shoulder, his chest heaving.

'What?' Sirius asked but his face dropped when he saw Remus's face. 'Oh, crap. You're a real mess, aren't you?'

"Mess" was an understatement. Remus's mouth was kept firmly shut, his eyes sunken and bloodshot, his legs trembling as if they were about to give-way.

'Remus...' Sirius said softly as Remus took a shuddering step forward. 'What's wro-'

But Remus Lupin had already hit the ground, his face meeting cold stone.

*

'So, what do you think it's from?' Sirius's voice met Remus's ears. 'I mean-'

'Stress,' ticked the school nurse. 'Nerves! Stress! All that school-work! This boy needs a good-dose of Pepper-Up Potion and you'd better make sure he gets some sleep tonight. Make sure he's nice and warm and don't bring him outside...'

'Er...' Sirius was saying. 'What about ... surely being outside is good for him?'

'It is. But not too much of it! There is a cold breeze about and I bet he had picked up something from there. Remember: keep him warm. NO outdoors. But do make sure he gets fresh air – open a window - and be sure you give him some of this every few hours.'

The tight-lipped brunette shoved a bottle of Pepper-Up Potion into Sirius's hands before bustling off. Remus, properly awake now, threw off the covers and tried to get out of bed but Sirius rushed to his side.

'It's another full-moon tonight, isn't it?' Sirius whispered anxiously. 'Damn, Remus, you're in real bad shape...'

'You're telling me.' Remus croaked, trying again to get up but Sirius pushed him back against the pillows. 'I can't get up?'

'Er - not yet.' Sirius said, and he popped the cork out of the blood-red bottle, his hand creeping through Remus's damp hair to support the back of his head. 'Just - er - drink some of this.'

The bottle shook and shuddered as Sirius brought the bottle to Remus's lips but Remus snatched it away and gulped down a few good mouthfuls before holding the bottle out to Sirius.

'I can drink that myself, thank you very much.' Remus said stiffly and some colour flushed into his pale face. Then he sighed deeply, shutting his eyes. 'That's some pretty good Pepper-Up Potion.'

Sirius took Remus's arm tenderly and tried to help him out of the bed but Remus's arm shot out and flung Sirius's away.

'Hey! I'm trying to help you here and you're being downright... _rude_!' Sirius objected, looking angry and holding his elbow out for Remus to take. Remus eyed the robed arm, his eye twitching. 'Do it. Do it or I'll... I'll do something very bad to you.'

'I doubt you could do anything,' Remus replied. 'Like being a werewolf is bad enough.'

Suddenly a voice spoke and Remus looked over his shoulder in alarm.

'_Werewolf_?'

Emma's head was covered in bandages as she lay in her bed and a peculiar metal-contraption held around her middle, keeping her very still. Her left arm was in a cast and a small heart had been drawn on it - no doubt by a mourning Peter.

What part of Remus's heart, beating so faintly he could barely feel it, sank, and Sirius looked to Remus and mouthed 'she knows.'

Remus nodded, looking at Emma's innocent face which was filled with curiosity.

'That would make a lot of sense,' continued Emma, nodding slowly and looking sadly down her chest where metal rods poked into her skin. She sighed. 'Don't worry, I won't tell anyone...'

Sirius looked at Emma, wide-eyed. 'Bloody hell...'

Emma looked up in mild surprise. 'What?'

'I didn't realize they had metal sticking through you... Is that for that spine injury?'

'Yes...' Emma said mystically, as if she was lost in another world. 'Yes, apparently wizards and witches found a way to repair the nerves that Muggles couldn't fix... Though it could only work if you take the NRV-regrowth and Skele-Grow before 48 hours after the injury in question.'

'Er - sorry.' Sirius said dumbly, looking at the sharp metal rods in distaste. 'Sorry about the... the injury.'

'I guess Peter did warn me about the Animal Spirits.' Emma nodded knowingly. 'Before we went into the Shack that first time, he explained about the Animal Spirits... That was such a nice date...'

She trailed off and stared fondly at the wall opposite, smiling bleakly.

'Yes well I'd very much appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody -' Remus was saying quickly. 'Just, it's quite important and -'

'Let's go.' Sirius said suddenly, tugging on Remus's robes and dragging him out of the Hospital Wing. Remus tripped over himself every few feet and Sirius grit his teeth together, angry thoughts pricking his mind.

*

As always the case during full-moons, Remus had taken to glancing out of the window in classes, watching the sun fall beneath the horizon.

Sirius had given the Pepper-Up Potion Bottle to Remus as he had refused to drink it from Sirius's hand.

'You 'right?' Sirius whispered during History of Magic and Remus lifted his tired head out of his arms and nodded.

'As right as I always am during this time of month...' he said sleepily, hardly paying attention to Professor Bins's lecture.

'So you being snappy at me is just a full-moon thing?'

Remus's eyes suddenly narrowed and Sirius could feel a conflict coming on. 'No, it's not.'

'So tell me what's up, then.'

'It's because of you,' Remus's voice flushed with anger as he whispered fervently. 'You leaving. You leaving me alone for two weeks! Don't you understand how that made me feel? Don't you understand how horrible I felt? How-'

But he seemed to have given up, and rested his mousy-brown head in his arms. Sirius frowned and tried to figure out how he could get Remus to forgive him once and for all – but he couldn't really think of anything that would be of any particular use.

'And then in 1958...' Professor Bins's voice droned and droned into his head. He slumped back in his seat, realizing something else. Something else had come to his attention and he didn't like it. He wondered what had become of Snape.

He hadn't seen him once ever since he had gotten back.

*

Sirius was seriously bothered.

Ever since he had returned to Hogwarts he was subdued in insults by passing Slytherins. People from the other houses didn't seem phased by this and made no attempt to stop the hallway-in-between-class attacks. The Slytherins threw words insults at him like tomatoes, many ranging from the "gay" variety to "fairy" and even "faggot". But whenever he heard words such as these he threw a glance at them and pretended to take off his robes in the middle of the corridors, yelling loudly:

'So who's next then? There's lots of me to go around, don't be shy!'

Of course, they all scattered.

But it wasn't this that had seriously bothered Sirius. It was that if it was happening to Sirius, it must have happened to Remus – and he knew that words such as these would slash at his ego.

Sirius smiled at the Slytherins once the teasing stopped but his glee didn't comfort Remus at all. Remus didn't even make an attempt to speak with him.

Whenever Sirius tried to take his hand he flinched away. And now that he was sick, he used the excuse of being sick to keep away from him. He could have vanished from Sirius's sight for good if he didn't constantly remind Remus that he was hanging around to keep an eye on him – teacher's orders.

Then the evening of the second full-moon came.

Lily had stared at them as James, Peter and Sirius had all taken the invisibility cloak and, Remus with them, descended down the steps and out into the grounds. Peter transformed, touched the knot in the Whomping Willow and hurried inside, followed by James, Sirius and Remus as the moon slowly rose.

As it always happened during a full-moon, Remus was panting heavily but the thing that worried Sirius most was Remus's eyes...

They had once been filled with life - with colour - and had been nice and clear like rubies but now they were dimmed, foggy and bloodshot. This was not healthy, Sirius decided, werewolf or not.

Despite Remus's efforts to push Sirius away, Sirius took a strong hold on Remus's hand, trying (in vain) to comfort him as he transformed into his werewolf-form.

Sirius, James and Peter transformed and were ready to calm and ultimately defeat the vicious werewolf but instead - and this surprised them greatly - the werewolf whined and whimpered and curled up on the dry dirt ground in the middle of the tunnel.

Sirius, the dog, nudged his nose into the werewolf's calf and the werewolf poked its head up. Its eyes were also fogged and Sirius transformed back into a human despite the stag and rat behind him sending him frightened messages.

_'Don't! Don't you understand what you're doing?'_

_'Sirius! No! He could attack at any moment!'_

But Sirius lifted a trembling hand out slowly to the werewolf's grey head. As he patted the werewolf's soft fur, however, he did not feel relieved and some grey hairs brushed off and stuck to his palm.

The werewolf gave a small moan and lay its head back against the ground.

Now Sirius wasn't the only one human - James and Peter were back to their normal selves, staring at Remus the werewolf with utter bewilderment.

'What on earth?' James breathed in amazement, looking at Sirius patting the werewolf's back and watching, bug-eyed, as fur fluttered on to the ground. Then they heard a strange noise and Sirius looked over the werewolf's back to its head - it was gnawing on its own paw.

'Remus!' Sirius whispered desperately, trying to find a trace of the human in the beast's murky eyes. 'Remus, what in hell is wrong with you?'

Suddenly, there was a flash of light from the end of the tunnel, but when Sirius looked up, it was gone. Sirius had thought he had seen a figure moving at the end but thought nothing of it - they heard nothing and saw nothing.

Then something happened and it was so surprising Sirius thought he was hallucinating. He yelled out in alarm.

The werewolf had transformed quickly from a werewolf into a man, and back to a werewolf again.

'Remus?' Sirius stood and stared at the werewolf, addressing his friends. 'Did any of you guys see that?'

But then it happened again - and again - and suddenly the switching stopped and the werewolf was back again.

'What the hell?' Sirius said stupidly, looking at the werewolf in confusion as it crouched on it hind legs and stared into Sirius's sharp eyes. _'Remus_...?'

Then the werewolf changed for the last time and Remus Lupin, his face lost in sweat and whiteness, collapsed onto the ground, vomiting at Sirius's feet before losing conscious faster than you could say "Hippogriff".

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait for the next chapter, and chapters won't be up every day after this, though I will do my best to get them up ASAP. They have been written - they're just drafts I have to go through and enhance. I hope the sudden darkening of the story does not put any of you off – but it has a point – as sudden darkening plots always (or mostly) do. **


	15. Vertigo & Insomnia

It was cold. It was cold and it was sunny.

A chilled dampness reached Remus Lupin's stuffy nose and he opened his eyes, his spirit drifting in and out of his body, his mind stuck between consciousness and unconsciousness. He could feel arms around him. He was resting in somebody's lap. Squinting, he saw tinted glass and the sun shining brightly behind the figure holding him. A tall, dark figure whispering nonsense words into his ear. There was a yelp of excitement and Remus regained himself enough hear what was being said to him in a rough, urgent voice.

'Are you awake - do you remember what happened? I suppose you might not - see - you were a werewolf and then you turned back into a human - you got sick and then passed out -' Remus could taste bile in his throat. 'I don't know if you can hear me but - but - we're in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom now - yes, I know it's a girl's bathroom, but no one uses it and I figured this would be a good place to hide. I mean, James and Peter know you're here but that's it, really. God, damn it, Remus... _What's wrong with you?_ Myrtle was having a field day so I told her to shut up, but that doesn't matter. I wish I knew what's wrong with you... Damn... Remus... I...' His voice is now a whisper. 'L-love you, okay? I _care _about you and I _love _you and I'm _sorry _I ran away but if you understood how... _useless _I felt - how _pathetic _- how _stupid _I felt. How incredibly agonized I was after finding out what I put you through... I shouldn't have - I shouldn't have forced you to do anything. I should have -'

The voice fell short as Remus stirred.

'Sirius...' he murmured and he hurt his head as Sirius jumped and grabbed his limp hand in desperation.

'_You're okay_?'

'I am... Help me up?'

'Sure, sure. No problem.'

Sirius propped Remus up against the marble wall. Looking around, Remus frowned. Yes, the bathroom was empty and wet and they were sitting on the platform at the window... but how had they gotten up there?

'How'd we...?' Remus said weakly, looking out the window and onto the grounds, becoming distracted. 'Oh, look... James is playing Quidditch...'

'Wingardium Leviosa, Remus.' Sirius said and searched in his robes for something. He pulled out the blood-red bottle with Pepper-Up Potion written in black and orange letters across the front. 'I took it from your robes before you transformed, do you remember?'

'No.'

'Well, anyway...' Sirius popped the cork out and put his strong arm around Remus's waist, pushing the bottle towards Remus's mouth. 'I don't know if this will help much but it's better than nothing, right?'

'Yes...' Remus murmured softly, feeling the cold glass touch his lips. 'I suppose...'

Sirius slowly tilted the bottle and a warm, sweet taste trickled down his throat leaving a fresh, minty trail. Immediately, he felt himself filled with a new type of energy - but not enough energy, not enough at all... At least talk now he could talk without sounding half-asleep.

'That's...' Remus gasped and gulped down another dose of the Potion. 'Thank you.'

'You're welcome,' Sirius said simply, not even smiling. He stared. 'You still look like shit.'

'At the very least I'd like to look like Remus Lupin,' came the reply and Sirius chuckled.

'You do... A very attractive Remus Lupin despite the pale skin -' his fingers met Remus's cheek faintly and send sparks down his spine '- the bloodshot eyes -' his fingers left his face and his eyes stared deep into Remus's now-colourless ones '- the...' But he fell short and looked out the window where the Quidditch Match was playing. 'Thank god it's Saturday, eh?'

'I suppose...' Remus said before erupting into a wheezy coughing fit. Sirius was alarmed and tried to get Remus to drink more Pepper-Up Potion but he refused, so Sirius took a sip of it instead.

'You'll get whatever I've got,' Remus pointed out as Sirius re-corked the bottle and placed it against the window.

'Nah... I'm invincible,' Sirius said. 'Besides, I doubt it'll work on me... It seems to be affecting your werewolf-ish-ness and that does not happen with a simple cold. It's definitely something deeper than that... Probably a weird werewolf-probe in your brain... And by the way, did Snape do anything to you whilst I was gone?'

Remus attempted to raise an eyebrow, but to no avail.

'No... But he did help me figure out where you had -'

'Help?' Sirius said smartly. 'Is that what he said he was doing? _It was Snape_! It _was_ Snape who did this to you, I knew it. He must have cursed you whilst I was gone, the bastard.'

'No. No. No,' Remus told him. 'Snape helped me. I trusted him and I still do...'

'Then why isn't he around Hogwarts anymore? You noticed it too; he left when I came back. Coincidence? He didn't want me to come and kill him when I found out what he did...'

Remus tried to convince Sirius that Snape had helped him but he also found it suspicious that Snape had disappeared and gave up a few moments later, saying he was going to throw up.

*

The two boys stayed in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom for the next few days but Remus's condition wasn't getting any better - in fact - he was more sick than ever. Despite James and Peter taking in turns to bring them food, proper beverages, some books from the library and homework, even refills for the Pepper-Up Potion, Remus still had to be levitated off the ledge and rushed off to a cubical to be sick while Moaning Myrtle laughed and cackled with glee behind them.

'Shut it,' Sirius growled as he patted Remus on the back awkwardly, the putrid smell of sick reaching his nostrils. 'Why don't you just go crawl into a hole and die?'

He knew he had said the wrong thing but didn't care because it shut the ghost up for the entire day.

Instead of making crude remarks she spent her time sulking in her toilet bend, cursing words they couldn't hear.

James had given Sirius the Invisibility Cloak for if they ever needed to hide, and the Marauder's Map to keep them occupied and give them any advanced warning on approaching visitors, but normally the first years who stumbled into the bathroom screamed and ran away at the sight of Moaning Myrtle.

That night, even though the full-moon shone clearly through the tinted glass, Remus didn't transform. He merely stared at it, shivering violently as Sirius watched. Sirius spent most of his hours with an arm draped around Remus's waist and pulled him towards him in an attempt to keep him warm. But this was only because Remus _thought _he was cold, when in reality he was burning up. This made Sirius sweat and feel very uncomfortable.

'Sirius...?' Remus would mumble into his chest. 'You're sweating...'

'Like hell I am,' Sirius would grunt and pull Remus tighter towards him, hoping the contact would make him _stop_ sweating.

When the full-moon days were over, Sirius suggested changing their location.

Remus seemed to be able to walk a bit now but Remus just shook his head and fell asleep on the marble floor. Sirius propped open a book and read up on healing-spells as Remus's shoulders began to rise and fall in time with his steady breathing.

James came in after dinner, carrying more food (corn and bread tonight) and he sat down next to Sirius, watching Remus with a frown.

'He's not any better?'

'Well, since the moon's no longer full he seems a little better - I mean, he can kind of walk but he's still got dizzy-spells and all sorts of rubbish happening to him. I don't get it.' Sirius looked anxiously at Remus's resting figure. 'I really don't get it... Did you find anything in the library? You can take these ones back, by the way. I finished them.'

James put the books inside his robes. 'No, I haven't found anything. And Snape's still not turning up to classes, so that's also weird... And yes, Sirius, I do know your theory... What I find strange though that is that the teachers don't seem bothered he's gone. What is he doing? Picking out Christmas presents?'

'Christmas?' Sirius said dumbly. 'It's nearly Christmas? I thought it was Summer!'

'It's Autumn. How could you not know it was Autumn?'

'Because I'm so unobservant...' Sirius sneered, but then he looked up at James, the moon illuminating his face. 'It's boring here with Remus unconscious half-the-time.'

'Yeah, well, you should probably get your little-Moony out of here... I doubt being in a bathroom is going to help him...'

'He likes it here...' Sirius mumbled, shrugging. 'No idea why... Moaning Myrtle's a bitch but he did watch you play Quidditch the other day, though - that was a nice game that one.'

'You watched it?' James perked up, his hand moving automatically to his hair.

'No. Remus told me about it. I fell asleep about ten minutes in... I keep waking up in the middle of the night because Remus's skin is so hot...'

'God, Sirius. Hot skin? Don't sex him up, you idiot!'

'No!' Sirius yelled a bit too loudly and Remus rolled onto his side. 'No, I just mean, he keeps close to me because apparently I'm warm to him and he says he's freezing but he's freakin' hot! I mean, his temperature is like...' he made some wild arm movements. '_Whoosh_! Through the roof!'

James looked to the ceiling thoughtfully then got up and jumped off the ledge. 'Well, I'm off to bed. Oh, and did you want me to bring you any blankets or pillows?'

'Nah,' Sirius mumbled bitterly. 'It'd be suspicious.'

'Just like Snape leaving...' James agreed, walking out the door, giving a casual salute. 'Night, Myrtle!'

Then ghost wailed and shrieked and Sirius couldn't get to sleep until the next morning. Covering his ears, he decided they were going to leave the bathroom. Regardless of Remus's opinion, he was taking him with him and they were going somewhere comfortable.

* * *

**A/N: Hehe at James's comment. Anyway, this chapter is a bit short compared to others but it's still a chapter. I've changed this story's genres to Drama and Humour but if you think it should be something else, let me know, because I'm not entirely sure myself.**


	16. Teenage Pregnancy

James trudged into the common-room wearing his muddy Quidditch robes the next evening. Lily moved away from the fire to hug him but backed away, eyeing the mess on his scarlet uniform.

'C'mon, Lily...' James smirked, holding his arms out wide. 'A hug?'

Lily shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. 'No thank you.'

'What about a kiss? A kiss for your boyfriend? Best Gryffindor Chaser in the world?'

Lily looked at Peter at the fire to James's beaming, boyish grin, his hair wet and ruffled, his robes soaked and splattered with mud - but his face was clean.

'Oh alright.'

Just as she went to give James a quick nip on the lips James pulled her towards his chest, laughing as Lily yelled and tried to escape. Eventually she got away, the front of her robes stained with mud.

'Great,' she grimaced, pointing her wand at it and cleaning it instantly before pointing at James. 'No more kisses for you.'

'Oh, so sex is still okay then?' James grinned and Lily sat back in front of the fire, laughing.

'You'll want to go get changed... you're freezing.'

Peter looked miserably up from the fire as Lily sat next to him.

'Feeling better?'

When Peter shook his head Lily continued.

'Oh, please, Peter, cheer up! She's going to be fine! Sure, she was injured pretty bad - and I guess that's bad karma for you - but-'

'Don't say that about Emma!' Peter's face whitened and Lily looked bewildered.

'No, I mean... I'm just saying, she was really mean before and I guess she got what was coming for her.'

Peter's reaction was completely out of the blue - though not unexpected - and he hissed through puckered cheeks. 'So. You're. Saying. That she deserves it?!'

James chortled.

'Oh no! Lily, you've mad him mad.'

'No, James! You too!' Peter exclaimed, spinning around and staring at James with disgust. 'You're the one who pushed her out the gosh-darned window!'

'Oh - swearing ... You'd better watch out, Peter or you'll get detention ...'

Peter's face swelled with anger and Lily shook her head frantically at the Quidditch player from behind his back.

Peter stood.

'I'm going to the Hospital Wing ...'

'But you're not sick!' said James stupidly, realizing a second too late what he had said.

'NO!' Peter screeched. 'But thanks to you, SHE is!'

And he stormed out of the common-room without a further glance. James looked surprised for a moment but then, looking unperturbed, shrugged.

'He'll get over it. He's being a big drama-queen really.'

There was a tapping from the window.

'Someone he cares about very much was just badly injured and you're just making fun of him!'

Tap! Tap! Tap!

'Yeah, but you weren't doing any good either.'

Lily scowled and looked towards the window.

She gasped at the sight of a tawny, brown owl and pushed open the glass, taking the note from the bird's talon. She unraveled it and read the message.

'Whozat from?' James asked, taking Lily's place in front of the fire.

'Nobody,' said Lily, way too quickly to be convincing.

'C'mon! That's such a lie, Evans.'

Lily's eye twitched and if James wasn't too busy messing up his hair in front of the fire he would have seen it.

'If it's a Muggle-friend of yours you don't have to get all embarrassed.'

But James was going down a bad path and Lily was frozen to the spot, her cheeks flushed in indignation.

'Don't call me Evans.' said Lily and James waved a hand, getting to his feet and approaching her.

'Evans ... Lily ... Whatever! It's still you! Just show me the letter,' he tried to pull the note out of Lily's hands but Lily's leg had already shot up.

James shouted and sunk to his knees, clutching his crotch with his hands. 'Ow!'

But then, after a few deep breaths he stood up again, slowly and cautiously, saying something he might not have normally had said if he hadn't just finished Quidditch practice in freezing rain that iced his brain (or so it seemed).

'Good thing I'm wearing protection,' he said casually. 'Quidditch uniform, y'know.'

'Oh, really?' Lily said menacingly and with another yell, James fell to the floor cursing and groaning in pain as Lily delivered another powerful kick to his manly-pieces.

She sprinted up the steps to the girl's dormitory, note clenched tightly in her hand and angry tears streaming down her face.

*

Sirius had informed James at his next visit that he was taking Remus to The Room of Requirement, saying that he should of gone there in the first place and when Sirius asked James what was wrong - because he twitched as he moved - James explained the happenings of the previous night. Sirius threw back his head and laughed, glancing up at Remus who was resting dozily against the window and Myrtle who was staring at him with interest.

'You serious? That's hilarious!'

'Shut up,' said James, lowering his voice and trying to change the subject. 'Okay, so Remus any better?'

'Not really but god, James. You messed up real bad! So now Peter's angry at you and Lily kicked you in the balloons? That's ...' he choked with laughter and wiped a tear from his eye. 'I'm sorry but that's gold, mate, just pure gold.'

'Yeah ... _Gold_...' said James bitterly. 'Listen, Sirius. I need your help.'

'Lady help?' Sirius smirked suddenly and James nodded dangerously. 'Then you've called the right man, Prongsie! Just, y'know, a slightly _gay _man. But slightly, slightly! There's still a woman-lover in me - so what kind of help do you need? You know, the Hospital Wing supplies proper protection if you're bold enough to ask -'

'No. No. Nothing like that,' James said hurriedly. 'See, Lily's ignoring me - like, really ignoring me and I need ... I need to impress her. I need to make her want me again ... Though after the damage she did last night I don't know if I'll be able to perform up to my usual standard.'

'Wait-' Sirius cut James off. 'So do you want to romance her or have sex with her?'

'Can't I do both?' said James.

Remus crawled over to the edge of the ledge and peered down at him, listening to every word with an alert ear. Myrtle also listened with a malicious look on her face - clearly happy James's love-life had gone down the toilet.

'You have to romance her....' Remus said, smiling bleakly at his friend.

James looked up and frowned at Remus's pallid complexion.

'Well, you're sick - you can't give advice in your condition.'

'But he's right,' Sirius said, staring admirably at Remus. 'Despite his unknown, peculiar sickness, he is still capable of giving reasonable advice.'

'But -'

'Nope!' Sirius beamed. 'You have to romance her. Hah! You must have done something before to make her love you - like... er... give her flowers?'

'A chocolate box?' Remus added.

'Anonymous letters?'

'A _few _compliments?'

Murtle wailed and sobbed. 'I wish I had gotten flowers when I was alive!'

'Quiet you,' said Sirius. 'We're helping James here, not you - though I hear you like perving on the guys in the Prefect's Bathroom ... why don't you go back to that?'

'Fine.' Myrtle hissed, drifting through the ceiling. 'Fine! Fine, I will!'

When she had disappeared from sight Sirius started up again.

'See? She won't flatter anybody by sneaking looks at the Prefect boys,' he winked. 'So, what did you do before to get her to like you? You _conveniently _avoided the question.'

James appeared to be concentrating very hard, the light blinding him through the window not helping in the slightest.

'Er ... Nothing? She just liked me all of a sudden.'

'Ah,' Sirius said, as if he was about to announce that James had cancer in his left foot. 'So she fell for you that way.'

'What way?'

'The boring way.'

James snapped. 'Well that's what happened to you guys, isn't it?'

'Er ... Sure, of course,' Sirius said quickly. 'Anyway, that's not the point. To win the Miss Lovely Lily Evans back you have to get her to notice you - and being yourself this time is no good. At the moment she hates every bit of you. You have to do something different, inspiring, flattering... You have to _woo _her.'

'Wooer?' James repeated, thinking Shakespearean didn't belong in this century. 'I see ... So you're saying that if I ... Okay. Perfect!'

He looked very excited and cheerful all of a sudden as if he had never been attacked in the balls.

'Good to hear, James. Good to hear, keep us updated on how it goes, then, okay?'

'Sure.' James said quickly, pushing his glasses up his nose. 'Of course I will.'

He left and slammed the door shut behind him. Sirius breathed heavily.

'I sure hope he doesn't make a mess of that advice you just gave him ...' said Remus in a croaky voice and Sirius levitated the boy down onto the floor before summoning the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map.

'He probably will,' said Sirius, flinging the cloak over themselves and holding Remus firmly around the waist, Remus's arm around his neck. 'I just hope he tells us about it ...' he paused, grinning broadly. 'Will a few minutes walking with my aid make you any sicker?'

'I ... doubt it,' Remus forced a smile, sweat dripping off his nose and onto the floor where it left a dark circle. 'Well ... Let's go then, shall we?'

And they hurried out of Moaning Murtle's bathroom up to the seventh floor where the Room of Requirement was waiting for them.

*

The Room of Requirement had supplied Sirius and Remus with a circular room filled with many different-coloured pillows, blankets and mattresses, along with a bathroom, medicine cabinet and fireplace with a pot of green powder sitting in in a metal claw.

'Floo!' Sirius exclaimed, having thrown the cloak off and hurrying over to the fireplace. 'Wonder what we'd need it for though?'

Remus, his legs shaking, arrived next to him. 'Perhaps it's for communicating with others in the school... What about House Elves?'

'House Elves!' Sirius scoffed, storming over to the medicine cabinet and pulling it open, observing its insides. 'Don't you remember that Dinks? We got kicked out, remember?'

'Yes ...' Remus said slowly. 'But -' he coughed '- but you have to remember that that was just one House Elf ... There are plenty other House Elves which I'm sure could help ...'

'Yeah ...' Sirius muttered, lying down against the pillows and sighing. 'Damn ... I wish you were better already ...' he opened his eyes and peered at Remus. 'You know your symptoms are a lot like pregnancy.'

Remus laughed.

'It is. Like that morning-sickness thing! C'mon, Remus, own up. Who's the father?' he faked a gasp. 'It wasn't Snape, was it?'

But this time Sirius's joke didn't turn out the way he intended and half-way through laughing Remus stopped, his face losing (if possible) even more colour as he hurried to the bathroom.

Sirius shut his eyes and his insides clenched as he heard the sound of retching from the bathroom, Remus's vomiting making another unwelcome appearance.

'God damn pregnancy ...' he murmured darkly, taking a pillow and blocking out the sound.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I would have had this up yesterday, however had lost this document in the Document Manager for some reason. Weird. Anyway. Let me know how I can improve. Oh! And this reminds me. Lady Annikaa told me that Madame Pomfrey was the one to escort Remus down to the Willow to transform, I'm sorry I got this wrong - I try to keep to cannon as much as possible but I suppose this story is a bit of an exception anyway. However, I can't change this plot-point half way through the story so I'll make it up to all of you with an example of what it would be like it this did happen. Lady Annikka is the only person who saw this before I posted it as I wrote it on a whim in a PM:**

As Remus was escorted by Madam Pomfrey down the stone steps, Sirius, James and Peter, underneath the cloak beside him, kept making faces which mocked the nurse's stern look and occasional worried glance towards him. When they arrived in front of the Whomping Willow and Madam Pomfrey stunned the tree to stillness, she put her hands on Remus's shoulders, sighed, and left, as she always did on the full-moon.  
Once she was in the castle, Sirius, James and Peter threw of the cloak, grinning broadly at Remus who looked almost bored, like this had happened too many times to be funny.  
'Did you see our faces?' Sirius said excitedly and Remus shook his head.  
'You were under the Invisibility Cloak,' Remus explained.  
'Yeah, but you're a werewolf - you obviously have powers we don't!' James said, winking.  
Remus sighed, smiling faintly as he was escorted into the secret passageway under the Wtreeillow by his best friends, whose humor still managed to cling at straws and poke them at his face.

**Again, this doesn't really happen in the story but if Madam Pomfrey did escort Remus to the tree, this is how I imagined it would be like. **


	17. Say it with Flowers!

James's plan begun the next day.

When the morning post arrived, Lily looked mildly surprised as an owl swooped down in front of her. It was snowy-white and carried a red envelope. James hid his smirk from behind the Daily Prophet as Lily opened it.

The card inside was a deep purple and James had written an anonymous message with a silver quill.

'Who's that from?' James asked Lily from behind his paper and Lily, not looking up, sniffed and said.

'None of your business.'

'Rightio then ...' said James, returning to stare at an advertisement in the paper about an anti-wrinkle solution.

Emma and Peter arrived at the table. All of Emma's metal rods were gone and Peter had an arm around her waist, looking at her glamorous face.

Peter apologized for getting angry the previous night and Emma smiled, looking a lot like a statue, her eyes glazed over.

'Where's Sirius?'

James looked up from his paper.

'Holiday.'

'And Remus?'

'Also a holiday.'

Peter frowned as Emma spoke. 'Peter, can we go on a holiday?'

'Err... No,' Peter hushed her and watched sadly as she skipped out of the hall. He lowered his voice. 'Something's wrong with her.'

'What are you talking about?' Lily asked Peter, pocketing her letter. 'She just got over a big injury, of course she's different.'

'No,' Peter whispered, and his voice cracked. 'The knock to her head must have done something to her! Her personality is completely different! She's loopy!'

'Really?' said Lily. 'Well... Sirius will be happy.'

'No but this is bad!' Peter said quickly before sighing heavily. 'I liked her better before...'

'Well, that's not how you flatter a woman, Peter,' James flashed a hearty grin, finally paying proper attention to the boy. 'Hating her won't help you get into her knickers.' James winked at Lily but was ignored. 'Well, if you really don't like her, you'll have to break up with her,' he continued.

'Peter, don't break up with her. Wait a while and see if you warm up to this new Emma – maybe you'll end up liking her better after all,' said Lily, looking at James like he was a dog that chewed up a new pair of socks.

'No,' James said firmly. 'You have to break it off early. The longer you stay with her after she's gone through this, the better. I bet she's wondered if you'd break up with her after her injury - so now is your best bet to get her! She's vulnerable so it'd be easier to break it off.'

'No!' Lily exclaimed, and Peter stared from the red-head to the bespectacled boy with startled eyes. 'Peter. Don't break up with her or you'll regret it.'

'Break up with her or you'll regret it.'

'Breaking up with her will make you feel horrible!'

'Staying with her will make you feel horrible!'

Peter's insides shriveled like burning paper.

'Shut up!' he yelled. 'Shut up, shut up! You're both talking nonsense,' he looked at each of them as if they had been declared clinically insane and said. 'I'm leaving. I'll see you both in Herbology...'

As Peter left Lily and James alone at the table and the red-head continued to ignore James, though taking peeks at the card hopefully every few minutes, James was struck with a magnificent idea: flowers.

*

James arrived to Herbology with a new spring in his step. Though, he wasn't really skipping, because that would look gay and right now he was trying to show Lily that he was perfectly straight, not gay, and definitely not an idiot.

Not that gays were stupid, he thought, taking a seat in Greenhouse Two. He looked around the classroom as people took their places and observed the plants situated around the Greenhouse.

James looked at a large red spiky plant, a bunch of blue coral-looking creatures crawling over a mossy rock, a couple of yellow flowers with poisonous thorns, a fat grub trying to disguise itself as a cactus, and all-in-all he could see nothing he could present to Lily.

Would she be impressed if he stole something? thought James as he followed Lily's graceful figure. She sat down at a table with a few giggling girls whom she smiled at and greeted with a small wave.

Peter sat next to James.

'Snape's still not back yet!' said Peter frantically, his eyes darting around the classroom.

'He's not in this class, Peter,' James pointed out as a large tray of dirt was shoved in front of them.

James moved automatically to prod the dirt but his hand was slapped away by Professor Bauble, the Herbology teacher, a skinny Ravenclaw who wore her hair around her face. She would have looked like a scarecrow if she weren't moving.

'This is not _just_ dirt, Mr Potter.' she said sternly and addressed the class. 'In front of you I have placed a tray of _dirt_. Now, it may look normal but this particular dirt is special... It clings to the skin and eats it, so I advise everybody to use their dragon skin gloves,' students pulled gloves out of their bags and a few looked around blankly. 'If you have foolishly forgotten your gloves, get some spares from the cabinet. Now, again, this dirt... This Peruvian Dirt effects the skin like acid so I strongly advise that nobody throws it at anybody else or you may well lose your eyesight, let alone face - which reminds me, put on your goggles as well.'

A pointy-faced Ravenclaw put up his hand.

'What are we doing with it? What's the point of it?'

'Well, Mr Fletcher, this dirt works extremely well with plants; it's the best kind of nutrition. They don't eat away at certain plants which is why we will be sprinkling this over some vegetation in the grounds. Carry the dirt between two and make sure you mark plants which have already been fed,' Professor Bauble explained. 'The dirt will cling to the plants and it will sink in after ten minutes...'

As their teacher continued explaining their class project, James's mind drifted to how he and Lily had gotten together.

_He had been sitting underneath a tree in the courtyard with Peter and Sirius, laughing and joking as usual when they had spotted Lily from across the grass, storming towards them with a fierce look in her eyes._

_'Oh... Somebody's in trouble,' Sirius said. _

_James bit his lip and Peter squeaked as Lily arrived in front of James and stared him down. He thought she was going to slap him but then he felt her lips upon his own and..._

_'Holy Hippogriff!' Sirius exclaimed as Lily kissed James with all her might. James ignored Sirius's calling and Peter's squeaks as they broke apart. Lily's chest heaved._

_'What was that about?' James blurted out._

_'I think__ I like you,' she breathed._

_'Think? You _think_ you like me? That's what happened before... You think I'm going to take that again… well you're right, but I'd much prefer if -'_

_'Shut up, James, you're ruining the moment!' Sirius interrupted and James glared at him. _

_Lily spoke._

_'Well… Okay... I do like you. If you don't believe me, how about you kiss me again and I'll prove it.'_

_James's face split into a grin of triumph and he scooped the girl up into his arms as Sirius wolf-whistled._

Professor Bauble clicked her fingers together in front of his face.

'Potter? Potter? Are you going to get started or not?'

James looked at her stern face to the rest of the empty classroom, save Peter who had also been staring into space.

'Uh, yes. Yes, immediately. Right away.'

He and Peter had scrambled to their feet and pulled the tray of Peruvian Dirt outside.

*

'Okay, there... Let's just pour all of it over this one...'

'But we have to sprinkle it.'

'Who cares? As far as I'm concerned, the quicker we get this done, the better. Besides, this plant looks hungry.'

James peered down into the cylindrical plant; it looked like a cactus only it was a bright orange with tiny yellow flowers all over it. There was a gaping hole in the middle of it where a bubbling sticky, honey-scented liquid resided. James took fistfuls of the dirt and dropped it into the flower's gaping mouth. As soon as the dirt hit the liquid, it sizzled and steam issued out of the plant, the strong fumes making them cough.

When the gas had cleared, the plant looked unharmed.

'See? It's hungry,' said James, tipping the entire contents of the tray into its mouth despite Peter's attempts to stop him. James made a large blue cross float over the plant with his wand and hurried across the grounds amongst the thinned trees, looking for some flowers he could get for Lily. Immediately, he spotted some purple orchids and he tugged them out of the ground and pocketed them, making sure not to squish them on the way back to the main group.

The class was huddled around the professor who was going to each blue-marked plant and observing it.

'Evans and Peckly, well done, well done...'

She wrote something on a notebook. This process continued for awhile and soon James's palms grew sweaty, trying to find a moment to give Lily the beautiful orchids and win her over for good.

I mean, it's just a grudge right? I said something dumb... She'll get over it. James thought. She'll like me if I give her these. Definitely. It's a win-win situation.

Then Professor Bauble came to the orange-cactus looking plant James and Peter had worked on.

'Who did this plant?'

James stepped forward and Peter carefully behind him. 'We did. Why?'

'Do you know what this plant is?'

'No.'

'Was it in your book under plants you can feed Peruvian Dirt to?'

'Er...'

'That would be a no, Mr Potter.'

'Yes. I mean, yes, _no_. My mistake.'

'You don't seem to understand what happens to carnivorous plants if you feed them a substance such as this.'

'No, Professor.'

'They get very ill, Mr Potter. And did you know plants such as these expel any foods they deem inappropriate?'

'No, Professor.'

Fumes were floating out of the plant again and James looked at it nervously, his classmates deadly silent.

'It's not poisonous is it?' James queried.

'No,' Professor Bauble said. 'However, I would strongly advise you scoop out the dirt before it spits back out... How about it, Mr Potter?'

James unwillingly knelt down in front of the plant and his hand lowered through the steam. Just as his gloved fingers touched the pollen, there was a loud hissing noise and a small explosion.

James felt hot goo on his face. He yelped and tried to scrape the substance off his face, throwing off his goggles. Very quickly the yellow muck on his face cooled and there were a number of high pitched popping noises. James felt like pop-corn was being cooked on his face. He looked to Professor Bauble who smiled wryly and Peter who looked like he was about to laugh.

There were a few nervous giggles and then the entire class burst exploded. James, unaware of what was so funny, pulled out his wand and tried to reverse whatever had happened to his face but he felt no change.

'I'm afraid the effects of the Tectler's pollen won't disappear for a few days...' the teacher smiled and pointed up to the castle. 'I suggest you to the Hospital Wing, Mr Potter.'

When James arrived in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey jumped in surprise and hid her laughter behind tight-lips.

When James turned to look into a mirror as the nurse went to find a bed for him to rest in, he couldn't help grinning.

Save a gap around his eyes where his goggles had been, his entire face was covered in tiny canary-yellow flowers, like obscure, fluffy stubble...

*

Only Peter came to visit him. He stared at the brown-ointment on James's face and said it smelt like aniseed. Then he gave James some news.

'I broke up with her,' he said.

'No!' James exclaimed in disbelief. 'No, Peter, you took my advice?'

'No. I took my own advice which just happened to be yours.'

James stared out of the window and sighed, thinking quickly.

'Hey, Peter, could you bring me an owl here?'

'Why?' asked the boy and James shrugged.

'Want to send a letter.'

'Sure, okay. Well, do you want to know what Emma said when I broke up with her?'

'Yeah, sure. What happened?'

'Well... She didn't care.'

'What? Not at all?'

'Nup!' Peter said, 'In fact, she said that she was going to break up with me if I hadn't done it then!'

'Wow,' James said in awe. 'Maybe she's more like the old-her than you had thought.'

'She'd just become distant because she "didn't like me that way anymore",' Peter sighed and sat down at the end of James's bed. 'I knew it was too good to be true... I knew it.'

'But _you _broke up with _her_. Why are you sad?'

'Because even though I broke up with her, she's still the only girlfriend I ever had!'

James tried to comfort Peter but did no good. It was as if he was waving a smelly fish in his face; Peter wrinkled his nose. Eventually James told him he should be grateful what he did didn't show, unlike cheating in Herbology Class.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so some of you are probably wondering where Sirius and Remus are... they've got chapters to come, so don't worry!**

**I'd also like to point out some mistakes of mine, that I probably should have researched properly before writing about - however, if I had researched it we wouldn't have the lovely Sirius and Remus Grease rendition. So, I looked this up after finally wondering if Link existed in the 70s. According to the HP Wiki, Sirius was born in 1959, and since he and Remus are in sixth year in this story, he would be sixteen years old. This means that this story would be set in 1975. Grease was not released until 1978, so it's impossible that any of them could have even heard of Grease. Link and Mario weren't properly created until 1985, so this means that chapter is full of historically-incorrect information. **

**I'm just glad I realized my own mistake before somebody else pointed it out to me.**


	18. Let's Do the Time Warp Again

'Sirius, be reasonable... We're hungry. We need -'

'We don't need food! I can go down and get some from the Great Hall, I can-'

'But what good will that do? You'll cause confusion amongst many students, many-'

'Well you go get it then.'

Remus sighed and sank deeper into the pillows and blankets, wiping some sweat off his forehead. 'I may be _slightly_ better than before - thanks to all this medicine no doubt - however, you can't deny that we need to eat.'

'Yeah you can eat so you can throw everything back up again...' Sirius said so softly Remus didn't hear him.

Sirius found himself walking towards the fireplace and taking a handful of the fine, light powder. He threw it into the flames and at once it turned emerald green. Sirius poked his head into it, bent on his knees. Colour and light flashed in front of his eyes as his head resolved faster and faster until it finally stopped.

The Elves were all busy cutting up vegetables and putting food in ovens, steam and fresh fragrances wafting around the room.

A skinny, fragile looking Elf gasped and dropped a plate of cutlery at the sight of Sirius's head.

'Student!' it rasped and suddenly all the other Elves turned to the sound of clashing knives and forks.

Sirius grinned at them but then he heard the very voice he had hoped to avoid.

'Sir!' Dinks the House Elf squeaked, pushing past the other Elves and adjusting its rag which was curling up against his chest. 'Sir's head is in the fire!'

'No kidding,' Sirius said darkly, remembering how Dinks had thrown he and Remus out of the Kitchens. 'Hey, listen, I was wondering if-'

'But this sir is ... is ... is quite gay, sir!' Dinks said, his cheeks blotching an angry red.

Sirius sighed.

'Well, yes, but does that really matter? Anyway, see, my friend's sick and-'

'Your boyfriend, sir!' Dinks said. 'Boyfriend, sir!'

'Okay, fine, whatever... Boyfriend,' Sirius rolled his eyes. 'Anyway, we're hiding and we need food so I'd really appreciate it if you sent some up to the Room of Requirement every day as we can't go down to the Feast or we'll spread whatever it is he's got-'

'Serves him right!' Dinks said indignantly, crossing his arms over his round belly. 'Wizards like you go against nature and now you're paying the price!'

'Shush, Dinks! They have come to us in a time of need! Regardless of what you think, our job is to serve them and do as they wish,' a long-haired Elf said simply, smiling at Sirius before hurrying off with a few other Elves, looking in cupboards.

Dinks approached Sirius and prodded his nose.

'You do not deserve to be in the Room of Requirement, sir! You are disgusting, sir. You and your friend - sick and -'

'Argh! Don't you ever shut up?' Sirius growled in frustration, his nerves clenching at the Elf's words. Dinks's eyes bulged and he spat on the marble floor.

'DINKS!' screeched another Elf and pulled him away, apologizing to Sirius and speaking sternly to the fuming House Elf. Sirius tried to do wandless magic and turn Dinks into a pile of smelly-goo, but it didn't work.

The arrival of the other (much kinder) Elves brought his mind back to Remus. They carried a few bags and they bowed at Sirius.

'Well will save you the trouble of contacting us, sir!'

'Yes! We will send somebody over each day to help you, sir.'

'We apologize for Dinks's behaviour. He was never fond of wizards like you and your friend.'

'Yeah. Why is that?' Sirius asked suddenly, curiosity striking him. Was it possible there was a reason? Was it possible that he wasn't just cruel and heartless?

'We do not speak of it, sir,' one shook its head, 'we do not speak of other Elves's families. We do not ask about each other's past families, sir, it is rude.'

'Ah,' said Sirius. 'Well, okay then.'

The Elves nodded proudly and then stuffed the paper bags in Sirius's mouth, he grinned, trying to keep his head steady, and pulled himself out of the fire.

His head spun on his neck in a rush of colour and sound and he stood in the Room of Requirement where Remus was resting against the wall, smiling at him.

'Food,' Remus said, and Sirius took the bags from his mouth and threw them in front of the ill boy before jumping next to him and brushing Floo Powder off of his hands.

'Excellent,' Sirius opened one of the bags and peered inside. 'Oh, this is perfect. They've got ham.'

'Yes, you always did seem to enjoy eating meat...'

'It's the dog in me,' Sirius smirked, taking a large bite out of a pink leg. 'Mmmm... That's the stuff.'

Remus took a few nibbles out of some bread, washing it down with some water. 'Did you encounter Dinks?'

'Oh, sorta,' Sirius frowned. 'The Elves gave me the impression that he wasn't always like that though. Who would of thought?'

'I would have,' Remus said.

*

There's only so much you can do, Sirius thought when Remus slept during the day, when your boyfriend is fast asleep and you're stuck in the Room of Requirement. You get bored. Incredibly, incredibly bored. The Room of Requirement sometimes gave him a chess-board or a pack of Exploding Snap, but it was no fun without Remus. He sighed and stared at Remus's twitching eyebrow. A song suddenly struck him and he was amazed at how well the words fit, though maybe it would be more appropriate for Remus... The fire roared and warmed the room from the cold outside and Sirius sang softly, worried he was going to wake Remus, thinking, that Grease songs weren't half-bad.

'Sandy can't you see I'm in misery'

He put his hand to his forehead to check if he had a fever. He sung sometimes, sure, but Grease was an all-time low. I'm mad, he decided, I'm the kookiest bird in the pen.

'We made a start now were apart  
There's nothing left for me'

Sirius stood and picked up a pillow, pulling it in to his arms before throwing it at a wall. He stared at the array of pillows on the ground like they were a crowd. He took a deep breath and continued to sing, slowly gaining more confidence, and quieting his mind which said he shouldn't even know the Grease songs.

'Love has flown all alone  
I sit and wonder why-y-y-y  
Oh why, you left me oh Sandy'

He stopped pacing the room and sat down on the window-sill. He cracked open the window and breathed fresh, chilly air. Then, suddenly, as if the Room of Requirement knew the song he was singing, a bright like appeared behind him as he stood. It illuminated his figure with blues, greens and whites. Sirius opened his mouth wide and sung the lyrics with a type of feeling which could easily match that of John Travolta's.

'Oh Sandy baby someday when high-y-i school is done  
Somehow, someway the two of us will be one'

He wished Remus was better already. Suddenly, he remembered finding him in the tunnel that full-moon and kissing him senseless… or maybe he was already senseless and the kissing didn't do a single thing. He grimaced.

'Heaven forever and ever we will be-e-e-e-e  
Please say you'll stay oh Sandy'

Sirius smirked as the light died down and he shut the window. He crawled over to Remus's sleeping-figure and thought. Angst. That's what the song was all about ... when it came down to it. And that's exactly how he felt. Or at least, it was how he had felt. Now, he was on the verge of bursting into hysterical tears of laughter.

I'm going insane! he thought, and he tried his best to imitate the character Danny's voice.

'Sandy my darling you hurt me real bad  
You know it's true but baby you gotta believe me  
When I say I'm hopeless without you'

He picked up a pillow and held it close to his chest, nuzzling it like he would Remus if he was awake, or at least, not so sick. He really missed Remus, he missed being able to have a proper conversation with him. He also kind of missed James... and Peter... and Lily. His grin perked downwards.

'I sit and wonder why-y-y-y  
Oh why, you left me oh Sandy  
Sandy, Sandy, why-y-y-y  
Oh Sandy'

He held the pillow close and took a deep breath as he finished the song. Remus's voice reached his ears and he automatically threw the pillow away. Sirius Black did not hug pillows fondly, nor did he sing Grease without mocking it, never!

'Who's Sandy…?' Remus was half-asleep and he smiled meekly at Sirius's crap-I'm-caught grimace.

'A friend of mine,' Sirius said quickly. 'Go back to sleep.'

'Sure thing…' murmured Remus. 'As long as you're not inviting her in here, be her friend as much as you want.'

And he fell asleep again.

*

Sirius lay awake that night, listening to the humming of the silence and the uneven breathing of Remus Lupin.

Remus's arms were tight around Sirius's waist and they slept topless, their robes discarded. Instead they wore the pin-striped pants the Room had provided.

Remus's skin was smooth except for the scabs and scars over his chest and arms. If you were to run a hand over his front, you would have been able to feel diagonal slashes, some long and winding, some short and jagged. And although his skin was a piercing, uncomfortable flame, Sirius bared with it.

He lay against the cold wall, Remus acting as his blanket. Sirius could feel the sweat trickling down between his shoulder blades and he sighed, feeling the rise and fall of Remus's body, the shivers, and hearing the occasional ragged in-draw of breath. Sirius ran his hand over the back of Remus's head, resting half way down his chest. Remus was half draped over Sirius's body, half on a pile of pillows, a grey blanket around his shoulders.

Sirius's eyes were shut and he focused on the slight movements Remus emitted when asleep; an occasional arm shift, nuzzle into his chest, a faint murmuring...

But then he heard thoughts in his head that weren't his own and his eyes flew open.

A misty-white substance was floating around Remus's head like a halo and it licked and stroked his temple. The colour in Sirius's face dripped away. He touched the mist. It was cool and vibrated.

He knew that these were thoughts - but Sirius was confused; normally thoughts were extracted with a wand and were put into a Pensive.

Remus's thoughts leaving his own head suggested that he was mentally unstable. Sirius wondered if this happened every night or maybe it had steadily been getting worse and he had only just noticed it.

He listened to Remus's voice echoing in his head, feeling strangely disconnected from his own body.

'Crashing sound of waves … birds cawing … rushing wind in my ears as I approach the ground below at a rapid speed … baking in the sun-light … leather-bound books that smell like old parchment, appearing out of thin air … '

The words and pictures entered his mind every time the mist crept across his chest and prodded his temples so Sirius tried to grasp the floating swirling mist, hoping to force it back in to Remus's own head or at least force some sense out of it.

Remus was dreaming, Sirius thought. He's dreaming... Maybe if I could somehow get inside I'll be able to help him... Maybe I could figure out the problem.

But then there was a small snapping noise and the swirling mist disappeared. The silence hummed and Sirius was confused for a moment, but then he shrugged, finally feeling his fatigue, and drifted off to sleep, the swirling mist pushed to the back of his mind.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah I know, why write Grease again even though I've established it was a mistake? Because I'm the writer, that's why. *evil laugh* And ever since I had the picture in my head of Sirius singing Sandy, I wanted to put it in somewhere... And I had to put something in otherwise this chapter would be too short. Grease isn't mine, by the way of a disclaimer. **

**I considered having Sirius sing some Rocky Horror, but he refused, you know how he is. It was a stretch getting him to sing Grease again anyway.**

'You'd better believe it,' Sirius told the author grudgingly. 'You're not putting me in spandex ... Unless it's for Snape, in which case I'll get James to join in - and Lily! I bet she'd look good in lingerie. Not sure about Peter though ...'

'Sirius,' the author said, sitting Sirius in a chair and looking at him like a teacher to its student. 'You're supposed to be helping Remus, remember?'

'Oh right,' Sirius said suddenly, but then stared at the author. 'You distracted me.'

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	19. Savvy?

In the few days James was in the Hospital Wing, being cured from his flower-face, he made special letters and sent the orchids he found to Lily. He had to keep getting out of the bed and opening and closing the window but that was okay.

He smiled at the thought of Lily opening the letter, seeing the flowers and sprinting up to the Hospital Wing under the realization the gifts and letters were from him and - this is where his fantasy lost logic - made sweet, strong love to him on the white-sheets, the sunlight gleaming through the window, lighting up her body, her curves, her-

'James, are you even listening to me?'

'What? Oh, yeah I am.'

'So what did I just say?'

'Er...'

Peter had come to visit him every night and gave him homework that James grudgingly, yet easily, finished. Now, he was sitting on the end of James bed, looking at the paste on James's face with a small frown. Now that the flowers had disappeared, his skin needed to heal over and for this he had a bright red potion of the consistency of jam on his face. It smelt strongly of bitter raspberries.

'You weren't listening were you?'

'No. Sorry.'

Peter sighed for what must have been the fiftieth time that evening.

'So you and Emma aren't even friends anymore?'

'She ignores me. Doesn't want anything to do with me. It's real sad...' Peter's eyes were miserable. 'I mean, I thought I had gotten to her, I thought we were close...'

'She can be manipulative I hear,' James said, remembering one time Sirius had explained how Emma had tricked him into wearing cologne. She had told him it would make him smell gorgeous. James still remembered Sirius gagging as he put it on, his nose screwing up.

'This smells like mosquito-spray!' he had cried and promptly handed it to Peter who was over-joyed and quickly used up the tiny bottle.

'Hmm,' Peter said again and James sighed.

'Lily been getting my letters?'

'Yeah. You sent the black owl yesterday didn't you?'

James's eyebrows furrowed.

'Er. No.'

'Oh. Must have been someone else then.'

James was furious and he ushered Peter out and pulled out a quill and piece of parchment.

He wrote.

His quill quivered over point one and he wrote frantically, ink splattering his pajamas and the Hospital Wing's bed-sheets. He was going to get her to pay attention. He started tomorrow, he decided, when he had gotten this jam-junk off his face and could write somewhere more private and get more supplies. It was going to work, he thought determinedly.

If it didn't work he was going to throw himself off the Astronomy Tower.

*

Over the next few days back, he grinned mischievously at the anonymous parcels and notes Lily received and he noticed she was warming up to him again, occasionally saying things like "Hi" and "What class is next?". But what really sent his heart a-boil - and not in a good way - were the _other _letters Lily was receiving. But he knew he couldn't mention it or he'd suffer the same wrath he had previously. He crossed his legs and wrote the final notes in his notebook, staring at it proudly and making it vanish when people were looking.

**10 Sure-Fire Ways to Win the Girl of Your Dreams**

_by Prongs_

1. Notice her.

e.g. If you see her in the hallway, smile and wave at her. This will allow her to smile and wave back or ignore you completely, at which point you can either keep trying or move on to your next candidate. When I did this she ignored me completely and she laughed at me once, but this is just point one... The other points will help too.

_'Hi, Lily,' James waved cheerfully at Lily as she passed in the hallway. Lily didn't even look at him. James frowned. He had more luck the next day._

_'HI, LILY!' James said and beamed at her with his arms out wide. Lily looked at him._

_Progress! he thought triumphantly._

_Then Lily snorted with laughter and trotted away, leaving James dumb-founded._

2. Compliment her.

e.g. If she's looking particularly down or nice-looking (which should be always if you're following the right girl) say so. If she's wearing her hair differently, tell her this, explaining how it suits her or brings out her flawless beauty.

_'Lily,' James addressed her during Herbology class, ignoring the strange looks from the girls he had pushed out of the way. 'Lily Evans you are the most gorgeous creature on the entire planet. Your beauty is flawless and I should be blind for even looking at you. I should be deaf for hearing your voice. I should be-'_

_'You should be shot for being in my presence,' Lily said, pulling out her wand and pointing it at him. 'Alright, if you insist.'_

_James scarpered._

3. Send her notes.

e.g. Romantic notes. Send her poems or nice little notes which say how lovely and how amazing she is. Keep them anonymous so she'll keep guessing and when she asks if it's you deny it - this will make her suspicious of you and suspect it's you.

_'Lily,' said James over the breakfast table as she looked into a a small card. 'Who's that from?'_

_'I dunno,' said Lily simply, turning the card over. 'They're anonymous.'_

_'Well, isn't that mysterious!' exclaimed James. 'And they're not from me. So don't get all suspicious.'_

_Lily raised an eyebrow and took a sip of her Pumpkin Juice._

4. Send her small gifts.

e.g. Again, romantic gifts. Gifts she likes. Don't give her something she hates or that'll be downright stupid - but don't ask around for what she likes because it'd be suspicious and gossip spreads fast. Send flowers or small chocolates - girls normally like those. In the case where she doesn't like them, well, you're screwed, aren't you? Use your creativity to come up with something else.

_Lily opened a parcel, her face curious, but as she pulled out the red and gold scarf, she draped it around her neck. Immediately she threw it back off and looked darkly at the scarf as hickeys appeared on her neck, making small snapping noises as each appeared. She pulled out her wand and the scarf burst into flames. She touched her neck and then strode out of the Great Hall to the Hospital Wing, disapproval etched across her face.  
_

_Crap, James thought, his head bowed. That was the one I was supposed to give to Sirius for Christmas._

5. Flirt/Tease her.

e.g. Some girls like to flirt and this is a way to show they're interested, though some girls prefer being teased or like teasing other people - this is a sign that they may like you.

_'How you doing?' James said in a voice reminiscent to Fonzie. Lily stared at him in bewilderment and -_

_Smack!_

_James held his face in amazement as Lily pushed past him into the dungeons._

6. Get to know her friends.

e.g. If you don't know her friends, get to know them! They're a quick way to the girl and you'll get brownie points for making the first move.

_James stared across Herbology class at the girls huddled around Lily Evans. He shrugged. They were too giggly, too stupid, too boring._

7. Introduce yourself.

e.g. If you haven't introduced yourself, I suggest now is the time to do so. Take things slowly, ask about the weather - eventually these topics will lead to deep and meaningful conversations which will tighten your bonds of friendship. However, don't act too friendly or you'll scare her away but also don't act too distant or she won't think you're interested.

_'Lily Evans!' James exclaimed, taking Lily's hand and shaking it wildly. 'I don't believe we've met before, my name is James Potter and I'm Gryffindor, like you. We should talk about the weather and then progress into a deep and meaningful conversation. So, how about that sky-'_

_'I'm sorry,' Lily said, taking her hand from James's. 'I don't feel comfortable talking with strangers.'_

8. Ask her out.

e.g. This is the big one. Ask her out (if you haven't already) - if you've followed the previous steps, she's bound to say 'yes'. Though if she's a tease she might say something like "get lost!" Take her out somewhere nice and ask her if she knows who sent the notes... Tell her you sent them to her, but say it jokingly or she'll think you're a stalker.

_'Go out with me?' James suggested over lunch-time. Lily looked up from her Daily Prophet._

_'No thanks. I'm good.'_

9. Ask her to be your girlfriend.

e.g. Assuming the first date went well, ask her out again and then pop the girlfriend question to her after a lovely romantic candle-lit dinner, or any type of dinner really - afford some nice take-out if you're poor - she'll appreciate that you're using all your money up for her, though if she's insecure about it, insist it's okay and don't tell her that you won't be eating a few nights because of it.

_He found her in the Library. He sat down next to her and looked at the book she was reading. James took a small note out of the pocket of his robes and put it on the page. Lily read it, smiled and folded it, putting it in her book like a bookmark and snapping her book shut. _

10. Ask her to marry you.

e.g. Make sure you've discussed marriage and where your relationship is going BEFORE you reach this step or she'll say 'no' in your face. Make sure you do this properly too or she'll ask if it's a joke which is humiliating for any man on the planet (or lesbian). Make sure your intentions are clear and that you're ready to make a commitment. By this time you can assume you've both had sex already and if you suck at it or if she sucks at it, by now things should be up to scratch so reproduction is easy and enjoyable. Remember to use proper protection and respect her. By now you should have won her over and hope things don't lead to divorce because you're screwed if it does.

_End of list | For proper advice, consult your shrink or doctor | Any loss of limb or ego caused by following this list will not be held responsible by Prongs or any of Marauders | It's not my fault you're a moron | Savvy?_

James finished writing and looked over it carefully, but then he tore out the page and scrunched up the paper. He burned it with his wand and watched it curl into ashes. Peter looked at the burning paper in awe and how the table didn't do much as get a scorch mark.

Lily spoke to him.

'Was that homework?'

'No,' James said simply, brushing the ashes off the table. Lily frowned.

'What was it then?'

'A how-to on getting flowers off your face.'

Lily smiled meekly at him and left the table. James stared after her, wishing that she was leaving with him arm-in-arm. Sure, she was _kind_ of talking to him, but something was wrong... Why hadn't she forgiven him already? Lily wasn't the type to keep grudges this long… James sank back in his chair and thought of what he'd tell Sirius when they were out of the Room of Requirement.

*

Remus lay on the stone floor, shivering, and Sirius stood over him, a determined look upon his face.

'Do it,' Sirius ordered the figure on the ground and Remus, his arms shaking, pushed himself to a sitting position.

'No,' Remus said sternly and Sirius bent down and grit his teeth together, speaking slowly.

'Do it,' he repeated and Remus shook his head frantically.

'NO!' he croaked loudly and Sirius stood back up again, staring into the foggy eyes.

'Drink the god-damned potion now!'

Remus sighed and lifted the goblet to his mouth. 'How do you know this will work?'

'I don't... Just try it.'

'Fine...' Remus mumbled, lifting the bubbling goblet to his mouth and swallowing it in one gulp. He sat for a few moments blank-faced but then he got to his feet and sprinted to the bathroom where he threw up its contents.

'Okay...' Sirius muttered to himself. 'So that _didn't_ help...'

The wisps of white that had circled Remus's head was still bright in his mind. He had thought this meant that it might not be a purely physical illness. But he wasn't so sure, now.

Remus trudged back into the room, his face a sickly white. He gulped down some water and breathed heavily.

'That tasted absolutely foul. What was that?'

'A mind-sharpening potion.'

'And what exactly made you think my mind needs sharpening?' Remus snapped, looking angrily at Sirius who threw his arms up in defense.

'Last night there was some weird thought-stuff surrounding your head and I thought maybe it would stop coming out if you had some of the potion.'

'It tasted like tar and I can't believe you'd give me something like that. I'm sure you were just imagining it. This was late at night, I'm assuming, and I'm sure you were just tired.'

'No, I was not just tired!' Sirius yelled and Remus looked mad for a moment but then he broke into a coughing fit. Sirius frowned. 'Oh, sorry. Look, I'm sorry. I won't do that again, I mean, it obviously didn't work so...'

'Thank you...' Remus gasped, putting a hand to his forehead to wipe away the beads of sweat that never seemed to disappear. 'I'm sorry, I just...'

But then he collapsed against the pillowy-mass, vertigo taking a hold of him.

As this happened, there was a cracking noise and a House Elf stood in front of Sirius, eyeing Remus with distaste. Sirius's heart sank upon recognizing the Elf.

It was Dinks.

'What do you want?' Sirius asked roughly and the Elf gave a kind of half-bow.

'The other House Elves wanted to send me up here to bring you food,' Dinks explained, pulling out a paper bag from behind his back. 'Your lunch, sirs...'

'Err...' Sirius said, taken by surprise and taking the bag. 'Err... Thanks?'

Dinks gave a jerk of his fat head and with a loud crack, disappeared, leaving Sirius to create more theories about what made him so hateful towards... well, towards Sirius and Remus.

He thought that maybe the family he had been with had been intolerant or paranoid about anyone remotely gay - probably some pure-blood family... A family like Sirius's - or rather, ex-family.

Sirius bit into an apple and moved over to the window, staring whimsically out of it down to the crowded grounds ... For a moment he thought he saw a face looking up at him but declared it impossible. But he looked back towards the grounds, anyway, but they were gone - if they were ever there in the first place.

Sirius frowned.

*

Sirius watched as the mist swirled around Remus's head and settled in front of his eyes, acting like a strange-blindfold. Sirius tried to scoop it up off his face but failed. There was a cracking noise and Dinks the House Elf was illuminated by the flames in the fire. He gave Sirius a paper bag.

'Dinner, sir.'

Dinks bowed slowly, eyeing Sirius who took the bag absentmindedly, still transfixed on Remus.

'That is not normal, Mr Sirius, sir.'

Sirius's head turned to the House Elf's.

'You know my name?'

'Every House Elf knows your name, sir. You came to the kitchens a lot, remember, sir?'

'Mm... You can stop calling me sir.'

'Eat this before it gets cold,' Dinks prodded the bag with a finger and smiled grimly at the two wizards.

Sirius tilted his head and turned back towards Remus as the fog swirled to sit over his forehead.

'I have never seen magic like this, sir.'

'It's not magic...' Sirius sighed. 'It's an illness.'

Dinks shrugged and went to leave but Sirius spoke up, a thought striking him.

'What was your old wizarding-family like?'

Dinks face screwed up for a moment but then it softened and said one thing before Disapparating with a crack.

'That story is for another night, Mr Black, sir.'

The mist around Remus's head began to swirl, and Sirius didn't eat at all that night. He tore the paper bag into shreds.

* * *

**A/N: I enjoyed writing James's attempts to win Lily back, especially with the flashbacks when he's writing that list. The list that he ends up burning. The last chapter, Let's Do the Time Warp Again, was obviously based of the song with the same name from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I did it because I thought it was funny - because, in a way, I'm "warping" time by making Sirius know Grease, and it's also there because I mention the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the end of the chapter in my author's notes and have a lovely little conversation with Sirius.**

**Also, re-reading Sirius's sudden burst into song of Grease, yes, it seems unlikely. Like I said, I was pushing it. I actually re-read that part and started laughing because it was kind of out of the blue and kind of ridiculous. But what do you guys think about Sirius singing Queen? I can see it. The guy has a motorbike! How can you not picture him as a rock-star!? Jokes. **

**There won't be any more songs. I promise. If there are, they would be a reference and that's all. I'm just having a bit of fun. **

**I've noticed I don't seem to have as many readers lately - judging by lack of reviews, but if you have been reading and not reviewing because you can't find anything to pick at - that's okay. If you're still reading, that's good. The story finishes soon so... ta da. Stay tuned!  
**


	20. Tell Me A Story, O Fair One

Sirius jumped as he heard a cracking noise. 'Dinks!'

'That's my name.' Dinks said simply and Sirius rushed forward and made a motion for the House Elf to sit, putting a finger to his lips and pointing behind him where Remus was curled up on pillows - the mist a lot bigger and engulfing almost his entire head. Sirius stared anxiously at the boy before turning to Dinks and sitting down in front of the fire.

'That story then? You're serious? You're going to tell me?'

Dinks was silent.

'What made you change your mind?' Sirius asked, looking at Dinks in curiosity. 'I mean, you were forced up here but you don't seem to mind.'

'A House Elf never minds doing his job.'

'Yes but... you know what I mean.'

Dinks sighed and his chubby face looked almost cute as he told his story.

'The family I lived with before, Mr Black, sir, was with a man named Terry Gilbert - he was a good man, but he was sad for he had divorced with his wife for reasons unknown to me at the time.

'He had a job at the Ministry of Magic, sir, he worked as one of the Magical Law and Enforcement but one day he had a party, invited some friends over, saying he was leaving. I didn't understand why at first, but then he told me later... he told me that he was very ill...' Dinks's eyes glazed over. 'Mr Gilbert was a very kind, man, sir, and he was not poor, nor rich and he had a few select friends.'

Sirius listened intently, thinking if he had a watch he would glance at it.

'I had been with his family for years but his family began to see him less and less, sir, and the only visits he got from his family later was Alice - his sister. She was quite pretty and she supported him as he went to work at a small shop in Diagon Alley. He brought a work-colleague home; Matthew - a Muggle Born wizard, and Terry, also Muggle-Born could understand him. But one day... one day I walked in on them doing things boys normally did with girls! They were... They were...' The House Elf's face flushed but then he shook his head, trying to rid himself of the image and Sirius was surprised.

His family was gay? Was he afraid of them? Was he disgusted? Sirius was confused yet he could picture the Elf's vision perfectly... He imagined a hard-oak door being pushed open and two grown men, bare and naked, their figure illuminated by an oil lamp, holding each other and pressing their lips together...

'They were gay?' Sirius asked, hoping he hadn't mis-interpreted.

'They were, sir,' Dinks explained, looking with small eyes up to Sirius. 'They were gay, sir, and they tried to get married - they brought the issue to the Ministry of Magic to organize a wizarding marriage between men - this didn't go down well... But it was ten years ago... times change.'

Sirius didn't understand. Had the times changed? He looked out the window at the darkening sky and he thought, no. No, they hadn't. Gay marriage was tabboo.

'Terry got nasty letters,' Dinks continued. 'Very terrible letters... Howlers... curses. But he was sick. He was very, very sick and he died. I didn't hear from Matthew again but methinks he closed down his shop, sir. He did not pay his respects at the funeral, sir.'

Sirius shut his eyes and thought for a moment; of the wizard's fate. They had gone public... gotten rejected and then parted.

'Dinks, was this disease Terry had... Do you know what it's called?' Sirius asked, looking at Remus, hoping it hadn't happened to him. Sirius suddenly felt paranoid.

'Muggles call it "AIDS", sir. And they say it's most common amongst those wizards who like other wizards, sir,' Dinks said sadly, standing up and brushing off his rags, though there was nothing to brush off.

'Ah,' Sirius said, looking thoughtful. 'Well... er... Thanks for telling me that, Dinks.'

But Dinks was already gone.

After looking at the fire for a few moments, the heat burning his face, he crawled over to the other Sixth Year and flopped down in front of him, the misty white floating around the boy's wrist, his arms, his chest - caressing his body as he slept.

Sirius, the fate of Terry and Matt still in his mind, took Remus's hand in his own and kissed it tenderly.

'It won't happen to us,' Sirius affirmed to Remus.

The mist moved around Remus's hot neck and the boy shivered. Sirius sighed and touched the mist, expecting nothing to happen as it always had done, but when Sirius's hand pulled away, the mist was stuck to his hand - like he was a magnet.

It was freezing and gave Sirius's arm a tingling feeling as it shot up his hand and floated in front of his face.

He had stopped moving, stopped breathing, but it was as if the mist knew who he was and what he was doing there. With a flash, the mist had formed a circle around Sirius and Remus's head and Sirius blacked out - falling into a dream that was not his.

_He was in a cave._

_He could hear water dripping and he squinted through the darkness, feeling his way around a corner. An eerie green light filled the cavern; a silhouette crouched in the middle of it._

_Sirius's eyes flew across the slimy, towering walls which lifted into the unknown._

_'A tunnel or cave is often used to represent the unknown, the subconscious and is sometimes associated with the female genitalia. A tunnel or cave can also represent a dark and looming path with no clear outcome. It can represent new futures and new dreams.'_

_This voice was Remus's, Sirius noticed, but as he cautiously approached the figure on the floor, which he assumed was the boy, it didn't look up. It didn't even look like it was talking._

_'The colour green can represent envy, jealousy or a feeling of oneness with nature and a content-ness with life.'_

_Sirius shivered at the cold inside the cave and tried to look for an exit, perhaps the way he had came in, but there was none. The walls had disappeared and extended to the infinite._

_Sirius a weird feeling that he was being watched._

_'Remus?' he asked and his voice sounded muffled, like a cloth had been pressed over his mouth._

_'A crouched position can represent an unwillingness to continue through life or current situations - an unwillingness to continue with particular thoughts, emotions or issues. The crouched position could also be a defensive position, displaying feelings of isolation or fear.'_

_Sirius forced his way through an invisible barrier and touched the figure's face._

_Remus looked up._

_His eyes were gone._

_His mouth had been sewed shut._

_The black, empty sockets stared, devoid of emotion and the mouth twitched, the dark green stitches keeping his lips firmly sealed._

_'A lack of eyesight can signify a lack of physical eyesight in the person in question, or perhaps an inability to see things as they really are - seeing an issue with bias - not seeing things clearly.'_

_Sirius took a ragged, deep breath and stared over the body which was draped in shadow._

_'A loss of speech can show an inability to speak truths or thoughts effectively; it can also represent a physical injury to the mouth or an oral fixation.'_

_Drip ... Drip ... Drip ...  
_

_Remus Lupin's counterpart continued to look towards Sirius and the boy felt himself being sucked into the empty cells, too horrified and frightened to look away._

_'The appearance of a loved one could indicate an issue between the two that needs to be addressed. If they appear friendly yet you feel uncomfortable towards them, they could represent a manipulative force or an unwanted presence. Depending on their emotions, a number of different meanings could be derived.'_

_Remus's voice echoed in Sirius's brain and he frowned._

_'A frown could indicate disappointment, sadness or confusion.'_

_Sirius stared into Remus's deformed face and all he could wonder was how long he had looked like this in his dreams._

_'A deformed figure, seemingly rotting, could indicate internal personal conflict which is affecting the physical self. It can also represent the person "eating away at themselves" with possible grief, anger, upset or hate.'_

_'Remus,' Sirius said suddenly, forcing to his hand to touch the body's hand. He tried to help the figure up but –_

_Rrrrip!_

_Remus's hand disconnected from his body as Sirius pulled. Sirius let go immediately and the hand dropped the floor with a soft thud. Sirius looked at the dry, crumbling bone and muscle, observing the fragile, white hand in disgust._

_'The loss an arm can represent-'_

_'It can represent me trying to get you out of here!' said Sirius loudly as the hand turned to dust at his feet. He felt sick, he felt like throwing up. 'Remus John Lupin, get the fuck up, RIGHT NOW!'_

_The zombie-creature-thing that was his boyfriend didn't move. But then Sirius saw the mouth moving, tugging at the tight stitches._

_Then there was another ripping sound, and this one was louder than before. As the stitches tore at the skin, blood dripped down Remus's chin as the mouth opened wide and-_

The next thing Sirius knew was that Remus was screaming.

He woke with a start and threw his hand over Remus Lupin's mouth. The boy was screaming and flailing, his eyes wide and white.

'Remus! Remus, calm down! It's me!'

Sirius removed his hand and wiped sweat and saliva on his robes. His heart was pounding, pounding so fast, the picture of the empty sockets, sewed mouth and arm still fresh in his memory. The mist had disappeared.

'I - I -' Remus choked, his eyes filling with tears. 'I can't see. I can't see... I can't see, Sirius!'

The boy burst into hopeless, heart-wrenching tears and Sirius flew over to the medicine cabinet and pulled out bottles, rushing back to his boyfriend and pulling out corks, trying to get the boy to drink, but he didn't.

'Won't work... won't work...' Remus sobbed, rubbing his eyes as if he could rub the whiteness away.

Remus's shoulders shook and Sirius tried to calm him down, rubbing his back and holding him close. Something surprised him, though, and his heart stopped in his throat.

Remus's fever was gone.

He was freezing cold.

It was like in the dream. Sirius remembered the stitches holding his mouth together and how the lips tugged at the wire, blood dripping down his chin and onto the ground, his mouth gaping wide and filled with darkness. A horrible thought struck him.

Would Remus lose his voice too?

Sirius knew that his voice was already croaky.

He also remembered that his eyes had steadily become foggier and cloudier over the days.

'Crap,' Sirius grumbled and wrapped blankets around the shivering teenager.

Remus's voice spoke hoarsely.

'I'm blind, Sirius...'

Sirius nodded frantically and slapped himself: Remus couldn't see.

'I think I'm dying, Sirius.'

'No, no,' Sirius garbled. 'You won't die. You can't die.'

'Get Snape.'

'What?'

'Get Snape. He can help me.'

All of a sudden everything flooded into Sirius's mind. It moved backwards like putting a video tape on rewind. Pictures and thoughts flashed across his eyes.

The dream where he had seen Remus as a rotting corpse, completely helpless - Terry, Dinks's last remaining family who had died from the uncommon Muggle disease – Snape, gone - Remus turning from werewolf to man and being sick on the floor - His and Remus's first kiss in front of all those people - The Unbreakable vow.

'Snape,' Sirius said.

'Yes,' Remus gasped, his hands shook as he pulled the blanket further around himself. 'He can help me.'

'He did this to you! What about...' Sirius said. 'What about The Unbreakable Vow? He did that to us!'

'He's not all bad... he's not...'

'What if he's done this to you?' Sirius said. 'What if he put some weird twist on the Vow and you're breaking it! What if you're breaking the Vow, Remus?!'

'But that's impossible,' Remus said suddenly. 'It's impossible. The Vow finished after the fortnight.'

'But what if we broke it before the fortnight was over?'

'I don't think so... I don't think - I NEED SNAPE, SIRIUS.'

'No. He'll only quicken this.'

'And you're not helping it either - go get him now - imagine my funeral - imagine what they'd say! "Died because his best mate, his best friend, his _boyfriend_ didn't help him"!'

'That's stupid.'

'You know it's true.'

'I - But... I - Fine I'll go.'

Sirius bent down to kiss Remus goodbye, the morning rays bursting through the window, but Remus had already lost consciousness.

Sirius felt the pulse in Remus's neck, making sure he wasn't dead, and was reminded of the dripping in the cave.

_Ba-dum ... Ba-dum ... Ba-dum ...  
_

His head bowed and fear clogging his throat, he left the Room of Requirement to look for Severus Snape.

* * *

**A/N: Drama! Drama! Drama! I love it. Please leave reviews and tell me what you think, I'll get the next few chapters up as soon as possible so you're not waiting for too long because I know that if you stay away from a story long enough, you loose the mood and the impact of the story can disappear. That is not what I want. Nuh-uh. No way. If I do something you think should have been done differently, please let me know. Feedback is very important for a writer. Uh-huh. Yup. Also, I didn't put as much of an effort into editing as I have for earlier chapters, so I hope that doesn't bother you.  
**


	21. Resurface

James had risen nice and early that morning and was surprised to see Lily standing at the foot of his bed. Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him up, her eyes shining.

'Good morning,' she beamed and James rubbed his eyes.

'H - Hello.'

Then Lily strode out of the dormitory and James pulled some clothes on before rushing out, finding her half way down the steps to the Great Hall. Their shoes tapped against the ground and echoed throughout the walls. It was very early in the morning and nobody else was awake. James noticed Lily had a note clutched tightly in her hand, and it wasn't his.

'Who?' he asked. Lily flashed a glance at him.

'What?'

'Have you been getting my letters?' James asked as they turned a corner, walking quickly and taking long strides. James wondering, all the while, where they were going.

Lily glanced from James to straight ahead.

'What letters?'

'What do you mean "What letters?" I think you know what I'm-'

But James stopped dead and stared down the corridor. Lily walked calmly towards a tall, greasy-haired figure with a hand curled around a traveling cloak, it pulled off its hat to take Lily in his arms.

It was Severus Snape.

_Severus Snape_ _was_ hugging _James's_ _girlfriend_!

'HEY!' James yelled, pointing at the two in anger. 'Lily, what-?'

Why was she hugging him? Had she woken him just to meet Snape?

James was mad. His fists clenched together in anger and a vein in his temple shuddered in cold fury.

He was freezing, it was six o'clock in the morning, she had woken him for no reason at all! Except maybe to rub this in his face!

Lily withdrew from the hug and Jame's eye twitched; her arms were touching _his _elbows and Snape's hands slithered to her hips and held her firmly. A monster growled angrily inside of him and threatened to leap and kill, tear Snape to shreds and throw the remains to the Giant Squid. But then Lily spoke.

'Just wanted to tell you - just - thank you so much for all those gifts and notes you sent me! It's the nicest thing anybody's ever done for me!' And she didn't say this to James... She said it to Snape.

But the words weren't as bad as what she did next. She threw her arms around Snape's neck and kissed him. James's jaw dropped.

'_His letters_?'

James finally understood.

He flew over to the kissing couple and wrenched them apart, pushing Snape away from Lily. Snape looked deeply sorry to be apart from the red-head, but smug all the same. 'I SENT ALL THAT STUFF, NOT HIM!'

James was spitting with rage and the ego pounded against his chest in defiance.

'Prove it,' said Lily firmly, turning to James, a glint in her eye.

'_They were anonymous letters_!'

'Who's fault was that, Potter?' Snape sneered, approaching Lily with utmost caution and then wrapping an arm around her waist. How he dared to-! But Lily didn't push him off.

No. James thought. No, this can't be... Lily and Snape can't be in love! They _can't_ be! Lily told me she liked _me_!

But then he remembered all the _other _letters Lily had be receiving and his heart ached.

'You were the one who kept sending her stuff,' James's voice was lost, hopeless, a pathetic mess, but then the monster inside of him protested and he raised a quaking hand. 'SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU LITTLE TWAT!'

James snatched Lily's hand and pulled but she stood firmly between the two boys, Snape holding her by the waist and James, her hand.

'What are you doing here anyway?' James spat to Snape, trying to pull Lily away. 'Back a bit late aren't you? Late from _what _exactly?'

But before Snape could reply, there was a yell of triumph from behind them. The three of them spun around like a dancing trio and James watched in amazement as Sirius sprinted towards them, panting, his chest heaving, his face white. But he didn't address James or Lily, he addressed the Slytherin.

'Snape!' he gasped, catching his breath and making wild motions to the ceiling. 'Remus - Remus - He's-'

Was the whole world on crack? James thought.

'Yes,' said Snape curtly, nodding stiffly. 'Yes, I know what you're going to say. I need to speak with you for a moment, Black. Come this way...'

A door next to them flew open and Snape and Sirius flew inside, ignoring James and Lily completely. James's grip on Lily grew slack at the sight before him; Sirius and Snape stood in the door frame, Sirius more worried than James had ever seen him and Snape looking regretfully at Lily before the door slammed shut with a loud bang. James and Lily looked at each other with bewildered faces.

*

'I was with him and then I was in his dream and then he was blind! He's freezing cold - he's very sick - can you help-'

'Yes. Yes,' Snape said irritably. 'Calm down. I have the solution.'

Sirius remembered The Unbreakable Vow and his jaw stiffened.

'You do, do you?' asked Sirius cautiously, his eyebrow rising into his hair. 'So how do you know the solution, then? Made the curse then, didn't you?'

'No,' Snape said. 'I was with Lupin whilst you were gone and I noticed the signs early. I left with the school's permission to do some research on alchemy and I managed to find an adequate-'

'So what's wrong with him? Tell me, you slimy piece of vermin, so I can help him myself - before you go and poison him again-'

'If you had been listening to a word I said, I told you _I did not_ touch him. I have not poisoned your... _boyfriend,_' Sirius snapped, pulling a tiny black bottle from his robes. Sirius eyed it. 'His problem began when you left. He reverted inside of himself. The full-moon did not help this. Upon the discovery that Miss er... the blonde girl... uh...'

'Emma?' Sirius suggested, trying to grasp what he was saying.

'Yes. Emma,' Snape jerked his head. 'That she could possibly be dead, I knew that it were possible that he would revert further into himself - further into isolation. When I left to study alchemy I learned about ways to transmute various elements - and learning alchemy has helped my potion-making skills a lot. Lily had been sending me letters whilst I was away and we shared stories - I told her of my improvements in alchemy - she was quite interested in it too, you see - and she told me of the happenings at school... she told me about her conflict with Potter and we both devised a little... shall we say joke?'

'You and Lily, partners in crime?' Sirius scoffed, remembering the strange sight of Snape, Lily and James all together like square-dancers. 'Right. So that was all her doing and not yours?'

'It was all her doing, yes, but I helped that along. We decided to play a prank on Potter - well... Use his shall we say _efforts _against him.'

He smiled mischievously and Sirius admired him for a moment but then he remembered why he was there and his heart pounded painfully against his rib-cage. He snatched the tiny black bottle from Snape's grasp.

'So, what is this? What will it do? Will it help him?'

'Oh, it'll help him...' Snape said, eyeing the potion with reverence. 'That is a concoction I devised whilst I was away - it's a potion that will bring all subconscious feelings, thoughts and emotions to the surface - this will help him get better -'

'But this isn't a mental problem!' Sirius roared suddenly. 'He's dying! It's a physical problem!'

But he could still remember the dream-substance that floated around Remus's head, the creature in his dreams, Remus's white eyes... He wasn't sure if it was a physical or mental problem anymore.

'I can't believe I have to explain this to _you_, of all people... A _self-acclaimed_ top-student, no doubt, but you should know this...' Snape said bitterly and he began to explain with the same tone of voice as a teacher to student-who-couldn't-do-the-math: 'Thoughts can work magic of their own and his hatred for himself, you and his werewolfish form, is the reason why he turned back into a man, but with severe consequences to his well-being - it's not normal for a werewolf _not _to transform at the full-moon. He's an emotional mess, Black. And I can only say it is entirely your fault.'

'Well... thanks.' Sirius grumbled, still trying to put everything together. Remus's thoughts about his werewolf form, himself and _other people_ made him socially isolated and these thought-forms drifted into his subconscious where it interfered with his physical well-being. He thought he understood. And the potion Snape had given him would help him. It would bring these thoughts to the surface where they could be dealt with and removed.

Sirius shook the tiny bottle in Snape's face.

'So, what do I do with this?'

'You should give him as much Pepper-Up Potion as you can - this will keep him awake and will help him gain his strength. Then you will give him _that _potion. It will not, however, make the thoughts, feelings and emotions vanish into thin air. He may get violent, sad or...'

'Okay, right.' Sirius said, pocketing the potion. 'Just give it to him after the Pepper-Up Potion. Awesome. Great.'

He nodded and stared into Snape's dark eyes for a moment before sprinting out of the door and up the steps as fast as his legs would carry him.

Snape sighed and left the room. Down the corridor he walked, placing the hat back onto his head and ignoring Lily and James's stares.

*

'So it was a joke?' James asked in disbelief once Snape had left and Lily grinned sheepishly, though glancing with a worried face at the spot where Snape had disappeared.

'Yup.'

'Oh my god.' James said, clasping a hand to his forehead. 'I can't believe it.'

'I got you at your own game,' Lily smirked and James was now beaming at her.

'You sure did... So... Does that mean...?'

'That we're still together? If you still want to, of course,' said Lily promptly.

'Sure. Yes. I mean, I didn't send you all that stuff for nothing, you know,' James said, his insides boiling a vicious steam.

'It was very nice, by the way.' Lily said, taking a step forward, the tension between them mounting. 'Thank you for the gifts.'

'You're - ah - welcome,' James said and then the space between them vanished, the tension snapped, and they were kissing each other fervently, mouths and lips pressing against each other like electric magnets on full-power. James lifted Lily up into his arms, his fingers groping for a door handle. His fingers closed over the door-knob and he threw the door open. It ricocheted off the wall and the two entered the door slamming shut and locking, the two still glued together.

An owl hooted outside.

*

'Enervate.' Sirius murmured, his wand pointed at the unconscious figure on the ground. Remus's eyes fluttered open. They were still white and his eyelids batted pointlessly. His head turned left and right.

'Sirius? Is Snape here?'

'No,' Sirius said and he uncorked a bottle of Pepper-Up Potion, bringing it to Remus's lips. 'Drink this.'

As Remus drank, the cold in-side of him disappeared and was replaced with heat. His face flushed with life but his eyes were still dead. He kept drinking until he had finished the entire potion and the warmth spread from his stomach down to his toes and fingers. Remus coughed and spluttered as he finished, clutching his throat, the bottle smashing on the floor.

'It's hot,' he said, taking deep shuddering breaths.

Sirius uncorked the tiny bottle Snape had given him and prayed to god it would work. He gave Remus the bottle.

'He wanted you to drink this.'

Remus knew what he meant and dripped the contents of the bottle down his throat. It had a strong taste of basil and slid down Remus's throat. When it reached his belly, it tingled and bubbled as if he had swallowed citric acid. If the fire wasn't still crackling in the hearth, you might have heard a dull humming noise.

'What does this do...?' Remus asked cautiously, feeling the tingling spread all over his body.

'I don't know.'

Suddenly, Remus could hear a high pitched ringing noise. It blocked out everything else and when it stopped, his head was still ringing. His head was now pounding, his breathing now heavy and his body felt a rush of energy that filled every inch of him, filling every nook and cranny. Immediately, his subconscious found an outlet for all of the emotions and feelings and Remus knelt, an excited shiver jolting up and down his body.

'Are you okay?' Sirius asked, eyeing his boyfriend in concern, trying to see something in the milky eyes.

Remus's head turned slowly towards Sirius's voice and although he could see nothing, he could picture the boy - the black hair, the rugged teenager, worried - concerned - vulnerable...

Seconds later, Remus jumped at Sirius and they thudded to the floor. Sirius yelled, thinking he was going to be beaten but instead felt hands - cold a few moments ago - now burning flames, setting his face and skin alight. Sirius's robes made a tearing noise as Remus tugged at the fabric, pulling it apart. Sirius was alarmed.

'Holy crap.'

But Remus ignored him and felt for Sirius's body - he felt firm skin - he felt a collar-bone, sternum and stomach which had clenched in defense.

Remus's lips ran across his chest, up to his neck and to his lips. Sirius's bottom lip was caught in-between Remus's teeth and Sirius, scared-to-death, was kissed with a furious passion.

The werewolf's hands scavenged his chest, neck, arms and hair - trying to touch as much as possible at once. Sirius took a sharp breath as Remus's foot slid across his leg, sending jolts through his body.

Sirius had been taken completely off-guard but had an idea of what was going on now, he was glad he wasn't being beaten to a pulp but Remus was different... his eyes were glistening with angry, hot, tears and they left a trail down his face.

Sirius felt Remus's teeth trace his ear and bite the lobe, he felt the coarse breath on his neck and goosebumps cover his skin. Sirius's insides were working over-time and blood pumped furiously through his veins, trying to keep up with his breathing. Remus's skinny-frame pushed down on top of Sirius and his insides throbbed.

Sirius considered making a run for it, sprinting out of the door, but what good would that do? His body wanted this... but was his mind ready? He had had sex before, sure, but -

Sirius was distracted as he felt a tugging at his neck and his eyes moved from the ceiling to the boy stradling him; Remus's fingers were searching for the hem of his robes, and, finding it, pulled. But it didn't do anything. To make up for this, though, Remus's nails pierced Sirius's skin and clawed across his chest. Sirius gasped and his jaw clenched; he wouldn't be surprised if he was bleeding, now.

'Remus,' Sirius's voice met Remus's ears. 'Calm down.'

'You're telling me to calm down, now are you?' came the raspy reply. 'Well, you can just shut up.'

His lips trailed up across Sirius's stomach, his chest, his neck, his stubbly chin and found his lips. Sirius and Remus were caught together, occasionally interrupted by a desperate gasping for breath, oxygen just as precious to them as it is to drowning men. Their tongues lashed across each other like snakes and Sirius could taste a peculiar mix of potions on Remus's tongue - the minty Pepper-Up Potion and the bitter-basil taste of the other potion. Their bodies moved against each other and, Sirius, trying to unbutton Remus's robes, but with difficulty, managed to undo the first two buttons. Remus quickly noticed his attempts and jumped to his feet, pulling his robes off as if he had been itching to get them off all day. A cold breeze hugged his chest and, still blinded, he didn't see Sirius's eyes scan the scars, his gaze threading a trail down to-

'What are you waiting for?' Remus asked suddenly, his head turning towards the floor.

He forced Sirius to a standing position and helped (clumsily) to undo Sirius's robes. Sirius quickly ducked and threw his shoes off, chucking them out of the window which smashed noisily, glass clinking on the ground. His and Remus's heads collided as he stood up.

'Ouch!' Sirius exclaimed, but the two wrapped their arms around each other, ignoring the bumps which would become bruises.

Now with their naked chests pressed against each other, small bumps appeared on their skin where they weren't in contact and a comfortable heat where they were. Sirius kissed Remus's temple and the fine brown hair tickled his throat. Remus's lips found Sirius's cheek and crept his way to his mouth as Sirius ran his hands over Remus's shoulder blades, both of them not daring to venture any lower. But then Remus's hands slithered down to Sirius's hips and his fingers dug into his sides. Sirius groaned and Remus's hand moved to his thigh, his arms shaking and lifted one of Sirius's legs up, quickly followed by the other leg.

Sirius stared with wide eyes into Remus's still-white ones and was amazed at the new-found strength. Sirius's back clapped as it hit the stone wall and he cringed, thankful that he hadn't fractured his spine. As Remus moved closer, a thought nagged at his mind and he found he had to voice it out loud before his boyfriend got any closer.

'Have you got protection?'

Sirius wanted to slap himself, and it seemed like Remus did too.

'What do you want bloody protection for?'

Sirius laughed nervously, still amazed at Remus's strength and hoping he wouldn't get crushed against the wall.

'Er... I don't want AIDS.'

A low growl emitted from Remus's throat.

'I don't have fucking AIDS!'

Sirius's nervous laughter turned to a cry as Remus thrust inside of him.

His sharp in-take of breath broke as he started laughing again. Tears rolled down his cheeks and his shoulders shook. He shook his head. He felt like such an idiot...

Remus was extremely confused.

'What's wrong?' asked Remus, his eyebrows creasing his forehead. His question didn't seem to fit; his arms were shaking and his breath was shallow.

'Er. Nothing. It's just funny,' Sirius tried to keep his voice steady but failed.

Remus muttered something incoherent and then pushed into Sirius, pressing him up against the cold wall. A whine escaped Sirius's chest and he tried to keep control of himself as the moments passed... The rhythmic movements steadily reached a quick-pace, their hips grinding and his teeth clenching together as the mounting feeling inside grew and grew. For a moment there was a stumble as Remus gasped and a hand slipped, but it didn't matter, the pace was still going and growing, Sirius held himself up and his spare leg curled around Remus and pulled him close, his hand snaking into Remus's hair and grasping it, tugging out of desperation, Remus's face splitting into a grin as their bodies continued to push and shove against each other, each aiming to win the race, their breathing becoming jagged and caught in their throats, aches gnawing at their insides and all emotion, all feeling, all pain, all pleasure, all everything, leaving them in an single moment.

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*

* * *

**A/N: I left the asterixs there so the - ahem - _moment _could sink into your minds. I'm wondering if the story should be hitched up to an M rating for that scene - and yes, I stuck with Poe's rules, the chapter ending on a _climax_. Hehehehehe. I'm not usually a big fan of writing sex-scenes but practise makes perfect - and that scene was absolutely necessary to the plot. Let me know what you think!**


	22. A Way Out

Sirius's feet slapped against white tiles as he carried Remus's naked body into the bathroom and propped him up in a shower, jumping in next to him and squeaking the tap on. A powerful gush of water pounded over their heads and shoulders, all sweat and other mess dripping onto the floor and swirling down the drain. Sirius ran his fingers through his hair so it was all wet and flat against his head, waves and curls springing up. Remus ran his palms over his face and his fingers touched his strands of hair which darkened with water. The tear stains disappeared and his eyes watered. Blinking, the salty residue dropped to the floor and Remus's breath caught in his throat - his vision was lighter... He blinked a few more times and each time, his vision grew clear until he could see perfectly.

The first thing he saw was Sirius's steely eyes, wide and curious.

Remus's eyes drifting downwards and he saw the red-slashes across Sirius's chest and stomach, his modest muscles quivering, the small hairs sticking up on end.

'I...' said Remus, hot water dripping down his bony back, as he brought his hand to Sirius's stubbly cheek, his fingers tracing a trail to his chin and down his neck. A final tear escaped him, camouflaged by the water.

'How are you?' Sirius asked, running his hands through his hair again and shaking it out.

'I'm - I'm not blind.'

'Nope,' grinned Sirius sheepishly. Remus's eyes dropped sheepishly to his privates and back up to his chest, his eyes scanning the marks.

Remus's voice cracked.

'Look what I did to you...'

Sirius looked down at the scratches and slashes across his torso and laughed.

'I'm like you now, see?' Sirius beamed, pointing at the numerous white scars over Remus. 'See - it's nothing bad.'

Sirius half-expected Remus to frown and shake his head in resentment but instead, he smiled.

'Yeah, we are, aren't we?'

But then he looked surprised and Sirius raised an eyebrow.

'What's up?'

'Nothing anymore - just - my virginity. I lost my virginity!' Remus's face turned pink.

Sirius smirked and the strangeness of the past hour sunk in.

'You kind of clawed it into my skin so ... It's not really lost.'

'You know what I mean.'

'Yes. I do. Well, er... Congrats.'

Remus edged towards Sirius and pulled him close, the water cascading off of their bodies. He breathed heavily and held Sirius.

'How was I?'

Sirius thought for a moment, 'Violent.'

'Sorry. Was it bad? I wasn't like Emma, was I?'

'Nope. Not like Emma - better than Emma.'

'You think so?'

'I know so.'

'Thank you.'

'It's not like you could help it anyway... Actually...' Sirius cupped Remus's face which was dripping with water. 'How are you feeling? Do you feel better?'

'Loads better,' sighed happily. 'Loads, loads, loads better.'

'Do you feel like a thousand Galleons?'

'I feel like I just had sex with my boyfriend,' Remus said simply, 'and a thousand Galleons.'

'Well that's just fan-bloody-tastic isn't it?' Sirius exclaimed, grabbing the boy's face and planting a kiss on his lips. 'You're cured! You're better!'

'I am,' Remus agreed, finally conscious and well for the first time in weeks. 'Y'know... I'm thinking it's not so bad being a werewolf. I mean, it'll always be unpleasant, but I am human twenty-seven days a month... could be worse.'

'That's the spirit,' Sirius gave Remus a thumb up and picked up a bar of soap. 'Now... How about giving me a bit of a clean, then, eh?'

Remus took the soap in his hand and looked at Sirius's grin. He threw the soap at him and Sirius jumped out of the way, almost slipping over.

'Oi! You could have injured me really badly, you know!'

Remus's face flushed.

'Oh, shush. You could probably do more damage by yourself than I could do to you.'

'Shush? _Shush?_' Sirius said in amazement. 'What about "Shut up?"'

'Shut up, Sirius,' Remus laughed and Sirius nodded, pulling the beautiful, scarred teenager towards him by the neck, their lips meeting before stemming the flow of water. They wrapped towels around each other and, smiling foolishly at each other, left the marble-tiled floor and back into the main room.

Sirius entertained himself by (trying to) whip Remus with the towel as they got dressed, and Remus laughed as Sirius pulled his robes on to see the big tear down the front.

'Well, damn. I'll have to fix that sometime,' he muttered to himself and pulled it off just as there was a loud cracking noise.

'Your breakfast, s-'

The voice stopped dead and Dinks the House Elf stared at the naked boys, his eyes bulging. Then, he let out a squeaking scream and Apparated.

'Nice to see you too!' Sirius called into nothingness and Remus sighed.

'He's never coming back here again, you know.'

'So? Neither are we. It's back to school we go!'

'Well, it's just that ... We'll never figure out his story.'

'Oh - I heard it,' Sirius said suddenly, and he explained it to Remus as he fixed his robes up and pulled them on. When Sirius finished, he and Remus were fully dressed and staring around the Room of Requirement. Sirius _accio_-ed his shoes and put them on, the broken window fixing itself instantly.

They felt a slight nostalgia but mostly relief to finally be leaving the pillow-strewn room and Remus offered a comment on Dinks's story, a smile creeping across his face.

'Yeah, he's never going to speak to us again.'

Sirius and Remus returned to the Gryffindor common-room without the cheers and excited party as expected by Sirius, but as complete silence, a few people looking up and staring at the two as if they had beaten up Dumbledore and thrown him off the Astronomy Tower. Their happy moods vanished instantly.

It seemed that even the fire silenced at their arrival and stared at Sirius and Remus's joined hands with a cold eye.

'Er... Hi,' Sirius gave an unsure wave to Lily and Peter at the window, trying to avoid the harsh looks the other Gryffindors were giving them.

'Lily...' Sirius hissed, not even bothering to give her a "how are you?"

'What's going on?'

Lily's eyes were sad and her voice was low, even though the chatter throughout the common-room was slowly starting again, the tension slowly dissipating.

'Remus,' she murmured, nodding her head at the boy.

'What about him?' Sirius blurted out. 'He was sick, wasn't he?'

'Yeah. Right,' Lily said stiffly, turning back towards the window. Peter looked guiltily at the floor and spoke to the two.

'You didn't say you told her,' he said, and Remus knelt and looked into Peter's eyes.

'Told who what, Peter?'

It was a name that Sirius had temporarily forgotten so the letters slid off Peter's tongue like a vicious slate of carbon.

'Emma.'

Remus dimly remembered seeing the blonde beauty in the hospital with the metal rods poking into her skin, though at the time he had a fever and felt extremely dizzy so the memory was unclear.

'Werewolf,' Lily hissed at Remus abruptly.

Sirius stared wildly around the Gryffindor common-room and his hand went limp. He understood why everybody was so quiet.

It wasn't because they had skipped about a thousand classes … that they were in a relationship or even that they performed Grease in front of the school; it was because of Emma.

It was because Emma had told everybody that Remus was a werewolf.

'The bitch,' Sirius growled, his insides threatening to break the window and stab shards of glass into Emma's eyes. 'How could she? How dare she?'

Remus, however, seemed unperturbed.

'I suppose it was about time this was going to happen...' he said slowly. 'I mean-'

'No!' Sirius said loudly, 'No, no! If anybody was going to tell anyone it should of been _Snape_! Because at least I can beat him up without being called a woman-basher!'

'Here, here,' Peter said.

Sirius turned to Peter.

'How long has everybody known?'

'Um... Half the day?'

'And why did she tell everyone just before Remus and I got back? That can't be pure coincidence... Something's got to be in it for her...'

'Sirius,' Peter said warily. 'You know her better than any of us - why else would she be doing this? _For attention_.'

'Don't tell me she still likes me?' Sirius said in disgust, 'C'mon! My pendulum's stuck half way and isn't budging for her.'

The four Gryffindors spent moments in sharp silence and then Lily spoke up.

'How are you, Remus?'

'Sorry?' Remus asked.

'I heard you were sick...' Lily murmured, touching her lips faintly and staring out of the window, light glaring inside.

'Oh, well. I'm better now. Snape helped as I'm sure you know.'

'Yeah,' Lily smiled, looking at him for a moment before turning towards the window. She sighed and a small smile crept across her lips.

'Where's James, by the way?' asked Sirius.

'Quidditch,' Lily pointed out the window and continued to look down. 'It's Saturday, you know.'

Sirius suddenly remembered the morning and how James, Lily and Snape had all been joined together.

'Where's Snape?'

Lily looked up and shrugged. 'No idea.'

Sirius sighed heavily and slumped against the wall and slid onto the floor. This was not the reunion party he wanted...

Remus bent down and Sirius looked at him with honest eyes.

'What do you want to do?' Remus whispered.

'Put a Memory Charm on all of these bozos,' Sirius growled and Remus shook his head.

'You're not happy.'

'Noticed, have you?'

'Yes,' Remus said slowly, taking Sirius's hand and forcing him up. 'And I know you want to do something. What is it?'

Sirius leant back against the wall and his face split into a grin.

'I want a party.'

'Then a party you shall have,' Remus said.

Then, he tapped Peter in the shoulder and whispered in his ear. The boy squeaked in silent delight then Peter poked Lily and mouthed in her ear and she properly looked away from the window, a smirk creeping across her face. All of a sudden, they were all grinning each other and Peter crept out of the dormitory to alert James.

'Shrieking Shack or the Astronomy Tower?' Sirius inquired to Remus as they took hands and strode out of the Gryffindor common-room, all stares and glares forgotten.

Remus thought of the Shrieking Shack and remembered Sirius's broken leg, the mornings waking up from a full-moon with a pounding headache and muscles aching, he remembered the morning he woke up and Sirius told him there had been an Unbreakable Vow put on them.

Then Remus thought of the Astronomy Tower, and the days he had spent alone, waiting for Sirius to come back, the days he spent in angsty periods of his life, but then... it was also the time he and Sirius had kissed their troubles away, the wind blowing through their hair, confused feelings snaring them, and it was also a place where Remus had, for a moment, considered what it was like jumping off the Astronomy Tower... Remus thought of the pros and cons of each and decided.

'I want to go to the Astronomy Tower first... and then we can go to The Shrieking Shack together.'

'Sounds good,' Sirius said absently as they descended a flight of steps, a tiny worry whispering in his ear.


	23. The Love Potion

Lily caught up with James and explained how Sirius and Remus were back, and how Sirius wanted a party. Of course, James told his friends at lunch-time that a party is "what they all needed".

Peter bustled around and told people that there was going to be a party, though when they asked where and he said _The Shrieking Shack_ they all refused - and perhaps this was best. It just meant more room for all of them, and no idiots to interfere.

Remus and Sirius, avoiding the frightened looks people gave to Remus, strode along corridors holding hands, though, occasionally Sirius offered hugs to people who walked by and a few girls gladly took them. Sirius almost got hexed when he offered Snape one, but he laughed it off.

They told the House Elves to have some food ready for Peter and James to pick up later that evening, and Sirius frowned; Dinks was no-where to be seen.

'He's probably scared of us,' Remus muttered, 'and if he heard I'm a werewolf, well the cat's in the bag, isn't it?'

There were times when Remus didn't care that other people knew, but as the news came that people were sending letters to their parents about it, he stood up abruptly in the library and said stiffly that he was going to go to Dumbledore, but Sirius shook his head.

'He would already know about it - I'm sure he's figuring something out.'

That calmed Remus's nerves temporarily and they continued to throw ideas in for their little get-together at the Shrieking Shack.

'We should take books out of the library and do some spells in there!' Peter suggested.

'We could bring Quidditch brooms and have races in there,' James said, completely biased, and stabbing his quill down against a blank piece of parchment. 'Or we can just steal the Bludgers and bats and beat them up.'

'They'll go nuts,' retorted Sirius. 'We could have a dress-up party? Actually... Nah, that's lame.'

'Or we could have a dress-_down _party! We could go naked!' James exclaimed. Lily looked considering but then said, 'What about spin-the-bottle?'

Everybody stared at her and James raised an eyebrow, 'What's the point of that?'

'Okay, fine... Nothing,' Lily said grumpily. 'But I thought we could play a different version of it.'

'But there is no other version of it,' James objected. 'Except the kids-one where you run to a different corner of the room...'

Sirius frowned and scratched his chin. Remus and Peter also looked confused.

'What's spin-the-bottle?' Peter whispered, looking frightened and excited but before James could reply, Sirius yelled out.

'Let's get some Firewhiskey! We could do the dress-down thing and then play spin-the-bottle and whoever wins that game gets to drink some of the whiskey!'

James interrupted Sirius's train of thought by saying, 'you can't win spin-the-bottle.'

But by that point most of them had run out of remotely sane ideas and Lily threw her hands up into the air and decided she'd put something together with James by Sunday.

*

Remus left to the Gryffindor Tower alone that night, as Sirius had stayed in the Great Hall for dessert. He bumped into somebody he hadn't seen for a very long time.

'Emma,' Remus said, jumping to her side like a dancer.

Emma's eyes widened and she stared at Remus, 'Hi, wolf-boy.'

Remus gave a nervous laugh. He'd been meaning to ask Emma something...

'Yes, well. I was wondering why you told everybody what you'd heard... about me.'

'About you, wolf-boy?' she said smoothly, her laugh tinkling.

'Er... yes, about me being a wolf-boy,' Remus explained, wincing at his use of the word. 'Why did you tell everyone?'

'Because...' said Emma. 'Because, I... wanted to give you this.'

Emma pulled a red-bottle out of her pocket and gave it to Remus.

'I heard you were on holiday,' she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Here, a welcome-back present.'

Remus took the bottle and eyed it suspiciously.

'This is a love-potion.'

Emma giggled, 'No it's not! It's Pepper-Up! I heard you liked that stuff.'

Remus smiled coldly and pressed the tiny triangular bottle back into her hands.

'Thanks but... no thanks,' Remus felt himself taking steps backward. 'I've had enough potions for one day.'

The blonde screwed up her nose shook her hair.

'Has Sirius been giving you a love-potion?' asked Emma delicately. 'So your relationship is an act, I knew it!'

'What?' Remus demanded, completely losing her. 'What are you talking about? No. No, that's not it. I mean, I've been unwell and I had some potions today to make me better, see?'

He held his arms out and Emma's fingers closed over the red-bottle.

'Give this to Sirius then?'

'No.'

'What about Peter?'

'No, Emma.'

'Snape?'

Sirius, Peter, Snape, _him_? Remus thought. What was _wrong _with this girl?

'So why did you tell everybody what I am?' interjected Remus loudly. 'What has _love-potions_ got to do with it?'

Emma looked to the floor and toed it like a small child.

'I heard that you're an animal.'

'Well, I'm a werewolf... I kind of am.'

Emma looked to Remus and shook her head.

'No, no! I mean you're an animal, like... _in bed_,' she whispered these last words and Remus's heart throbbed.

He tried to leave but Emma kept forcing herself at him, blocking his path, and eventually, he snatched the love-potion out of her hand and stormed down the hallway. Then, suddenly feeling annoyed at himself for being distracted, turned and yelled at her.

'So why did you tell everybody?'

Emma turned to look at him, gave a gleaming smile, and vanished from view.

As Remus tread up to Gryffindor Tower, he wondered if she saw a therapist in her spare time.

*

Remus climbed into his bed, only to realize that somebody was already there.

'Sirius!' he exclaimed, throwing off the sheets. Sirius grinned broadly at him and pointed towards his own bed. Remus's eyes found Sirius's four-poster bed, a lump sleeping inside of it. It was Lily.

'Can she do that?'

'Looks like it,' Sirius shrugged, patting a spot next to him and Remus squished up to him and sighed, the mattress squeaking. 'What?'

'Emma...' Remus breathed. 'She's... a bit...'

'Weird?' Sirius rolled his eyes. 'Don't tell me, I know all too well.'

And then Remus told him about his encounter with her that evening and the love-potion.

'Bloody hell... What's she doing give love-potions out?'

'I think she misses having a boyfriend,' Remus murmured. 'I mean, Peter told you what happened between him and Emma, right?'

'Yeah,' Sirius said in a hushed voice. 'Broke up… but what I'm wondering is what the _real_ reason is behind all of this.'

They spent a few moments in silence and Remus turned onto his side. Sirius's face was illuminated by the moonlight shining through the window and Remus shivered; it was getting cold. Remus shuffled forward a fraction and his and Sirius's knees knocked together.

'To get me chucked out?' Remus replied finally and he sighed. 'I really hope Dumbledore is doing something to help out... I mean, he's bound to be getting owls by now saying how dangerous I am.'

'He's taking care of it,' Sirius reassured him, though not entirely convinced himself, voicing a new view entirely. 'You know, I really think it'd help if we put a Memory Charm on everyone. So they'd forget about it.'

Something clicked inside of Remus's head. The idea seemed very plausible.

'You might have a point there.'

'What?'

'You might have a point, I said.'

'No, I heard you, but what do you mean? So we do it?'

'It'd be hard doing a Memory Charm, but what if it was a potion? I think those exist... Lily could brew something up for us...'

'We could spike everybody's food at dinner!' Sirius whispered excitedly but then his grin fell and he lifted his head, readjusting his head's position on the pillow. 'Oh, wait... Rubbish. What about the parents?'

'_Dumbledore will deal with them_?'

'Will that work, though?'

'He's Dumbledore, so it _should_.'

'What if it doesn't though?'

'Well... If that's the case, we send them enchanted letters with Memory Charms placed on them. That could probably work.'

'Hmmm...' Sirius muttered and then they heard a loud voice break the spell between them.

'D'you guys mind shutting up? Some people are trying to sleep.'

* * *

**A/N: Writing and re-reading my own chapters, it's very frustrating because I re-use words and descriptions. I try to keep things as simple as possible because I don't want to mess with the flow of things, but perhaps I should be looking into writing in a new style, a more interesting style. I think I'll read Twilight again or another particularly verbose book and try to pick out and learn a few things. **

**I'm focusing more on telling the story than setting a mood, though I suppose for these few chapters it's mostly ideas and talk and the places, descriptions and mood aren't as important - they're not very significant scenes, really.**

**Again, for those who don't know, I have a Twitter account and, hoping I don't sound too desperate, would love for you guys to follow me (assuming you all have one). My user is Kurayumei, and it's a private profile so you won't be able to see anything until I accept you. Thanks again for reading. Hugs for all!**


	24. Sui Caedere

James and Lily told Peter, Sirius and Remus of their renewed relationship with broad grins the next morning.

'That's very nice to hear,' Remus said simply.

'Yes, it's marvelous!' Peter agreed, but Sirius was the brutally-honest one, and he spoke with a mouth full of food, specs of god-knows-what flying across the table.

'We figured that was the case since _Lily _was in the boy's dormitory last night… "Figuring out things for the party"? As if!'

'We were, though!' Lily exclaimed indignantly, though blushing slightly. 'We've got everything sorted out - well, I have, by any rate. You guys just have to turn up.'

Remus rested his arms at his sides and remembered the bottle in his pocket, the glass chiming as he pulled it out, scarlet liquid inside.

'Is that a love-potion?' Lily asked suddenly. 'Oh, no, Remus, don't tell me-'

'No, it's not mine,' Remus gave the bottle a small shake. 'It's Emma's. She wanted me to give it to either Peter, Sirius or Snape.'

Sirius, even though he had heard this story before, snorted with laughter.

'Snape?' Lily frowned, peering over the heads at the breakfast table to look at the sallow-skinned individual at the Slytherin Table. 'Oh, dear.'

'Oh dear?' Sirius's question was rhetorical. 'Give it to Snape, Remus! Then Emma will have her wish and we needn't bother anybody!'

'No,' Remus and Lily said together firmly.

Thunder shook the Great Hall and rain suddenly fell from the ceiling. They all looked upwards; the prospect of a rainy day was not a happy one.

'Well, you're not taking it yourself,' Peter said slowly, 'are you?'

'Of course not.'

'And you're not giving it to Sirius,' James continued.

'Nope.'

'Who then?' Lily asked and Remus continued to stare at the bottle. The bottle could have been made of diamond, it looked like an expensive perfume bottle.

'I was thinking of throwing it away.'

'Oh, no, don't do that!' Lily cried, pointing at the glass in Remus's hand. 'Look at the label! It's a pretty strong potion; it'd be a waste just to throw it away.'

'What about selling it?' Peter suggested.

Sirius's insides suddenly squirmed with a magnificent idea and for a moment he thought he was going to throw up all his food.

'Remus, I have the best idea,' Sirius said excitedly, looking to each of his friends. 'Give it to _her_!'

All of his friends spoke at the same time, confusion and absurdity clinking together.

'You don't mean Lily, do you?'

'Pff! Of course not!' Sirius chortled. 'But that's not a bad idea…'

'What?' Lily snapped.

'I think what Sirius is saying,' explained Remus, looking at Sirius for a hint. 'Is that we give the love-potion to Emma…'

The silence that filled the circle was interrupted by another flash of lightening above their heads and a deafening roar of thunder.

'Would that work?' Lily asked over the loud boom.

James stared at her, 'You're the potions expert.'

Lily shook her head and rested her arms on the table, pushing her plate forward. 'But love-potions are designed to work on other people... I don't know what will happen if you use it on yourself...'

'Think about it,' Sirius began. 'She's a nutter, right? She loves _sex_, right? She likes _hitting_ people, right? She's pretty messed up. We'll save everybody by giving her the potion because she'll love herself so much she'd leave all of us alone!'

Lily's eyebrows furrowed together and James made and 'Oh!' sound.

'That's a bit sick... don't you think?' Lily muttered uncertainly.

'Would you rather leave it and her continue to jeopardize our sex-lives?' James added. 'I mean, everyone wins here!'

'But love-potions create an _obsession_, not _love_! Wouldn't this just make her problem worse?'

'Who knows?' Sirius threw his arms into the air and leaned backwards on the bench, almost falling off. 'Maybe it won't work at all! Happy?'

'No... I'm not,' admitted Lily.

They spent the day arguing and discussing the possible outcomes of this plan, Sirius still acting very smug about his idea.

Soon the day passed and Sirius started and finished all his homework. He gave Remus a nod and they left the library. It was party time.

They were to go to the Astronomy Tower first and then to the Shrieking Shack for the main party. When they first got up into the open air, they discussed the Memory Charm idea again, finally deciding if they heard anything from a teacher about Remus having to leave, they'd put the plan in motion.

It was chilly and dark outside, and luckily it had stopped raining, though their shoes squeaked and slipped across the wet stone, the balcony hardly lit from the light inside.

'Wow, we've been through a bit up here, haven't we?' Sirius said casually, looking out to the Forbidden Forrest where the trees waved in the wind. The dark-haired teenager stretched his arms out as the breeze and moonlight caressed his face. 'So, why did you want to come up here again?'

'Well,' Remus went to stand next to Sirius and looked up to the half-moon, 'I haven't been up here with you since... since that kiss… you know… when I, uh, tried to satisfy your, um, _urges_…'

Sirius's head jerked towards Remus and his mouth dropped open.

'You're joking!'

'Does this look like a joking face?' Remus asked, the corners of his lips tugging. Sirius grinned in amazement.

'I don't believe it! Wow...' Sirius breathed, staring at the stars above which gleamed and glimmered with white, blue, red and purple. 'And... Wait... How long have we been together now?'

Remus looked thoughtful but sighed, shaking his head.

'I haven't got a clue. I wasn't keeping track of time when I was sick... were you?'

'Er... Nope.'

'Maybe we should ask the others...' Remus pondered out loud and Sirius's face lit up into a boyish grin.

'This is so _sad_, we can't even remember how long we've been together.'

The two boys spent a few moments in silence, listening to the wind, the occasional owl-hooting, the drip of rain from the castle to stone... it was all very peaceful. Remus thought of their kiss up on the Astronomy Tower, their first "real" kiss and then he felt something touch his hand. It was Sirius's hand. Remus smiled, the sudden-shock leaving him and being replaced by relaxing warmth.

'How does it feel no-longer being a virgin?'

Remus laughed and the sound echoed throughout the grounds. He suddenly realized how small and insignificant he felt in comparison to the mighty castle and the world around him.

'I don't know, I was too busy thinking of other things.'

'Too busy to think about _us_?' Sirius demanded. 'I'm insulted!'

'Well, there is this whole everybody-knows-I'm-a-werewolf business, and Emma's love-potion thing...' Remus frowned. 'You know, the whole reason we got into The Unbreakable Vow was to avoid this happening... to avoid people finding out about me and I was thinking... maybe it was all a waste.'

'Don't say that,' Sirius said seriously, giving Remus's hand a tight squeeze and turning him towards him. 'Never say that... Without the Vow, we wouldn't be together.'

These words struck truth in Remus's chest and he stared into Sirius's eyes, honesty lacing his face. Then, slowly, as if the world around them had frozen, their lips met. It was only for a few moments, and it wasn't passionate like most of their other kisses had been, it was calm, and gentle, and affectionate, slightly wet and comforting like the thin layer of rain on the stone beneath them. When their lips slid away, they didn't fly away from each other immediately, instead resting their foreheads together, staring into the others eyes, their hands linking and holding the moment together.

'I...' Remus began, faltering for a moment, then taking a steady and deep breath. This is it, he told himself. If any time is the right time… it's now. He took another deep breath and said the words he'd been dying to say since day one.

'I love you, Sirius. You're the best friend I've ever had.'

So close to his face, he could see the lines creasing the corners of Sirius's eyes as he grinned and Remus felt himself smiling too, a dull flush creeping into his cheeks.

The back of Sirius's hand brushed his cheek, his lips moving wordlessly. It took Remus a moment to realize that he was tracing the scar Snape had left him that day in the Great Hall when he shot the Sectumsempra Curse out of his wand. Then Sirius spoke.

'I love you too,' he said, his eyes flicking from the slash on Remus's face to his eyes. 'I love every bit of you; your scars, your smile, even your Moony Mood Swings,' he grinned, 'A lot has happened to us since The Unbreakable Vow, since... almost two months ago... and not all of it has been fun, or fantastic, but I'm grateful it happened anyway, because without it, we wouldn't be here now.'

Remus leaned back a fraction and sighed. What he said was very deep, very unlike Sirius.

'That was very romantic of you to say,' he commented before adding. 'I didn't know you had it in you.'

'See, now you've just ruined it,' Sirius smirked and Remus glanced out towards the grounds.

'We should probably be getting to the party now... The party you wanted,' Remus added, Sirius nodded and tugged on Remus's hand.

'Well, okay, let's go then.'

But Remus didn't move. An idea had struck him.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong... I just wanted to try something...'

Remus left Sirius and climbed onto the ledge of the Astronomy Tower, and looked down, feeling the wind flutter through his hair. He felt slightly unstable and unbalanced standing up there, but he held himself tall.

'Err... Remus,' Sirius said cautiously. 'If there's something you need to tell me... I suggest you tell me now before you jump to your death.'

'What?' Remus asked. 'Oh. Right, no. I mean, I want to jump off-'

'Yes,' Sirius said, edging towards him and holding out his hand. 'Yes, I'm sure you do, now, come on now-'

'Do you really think I'm suicidal, Sirius?' Remus asked, half exasperated, and Sirius froze.

'I don't know... That Potion of Snape's brought feelings to the surface, maybe it brought some suicidal feelings to the surface too.'

Remus turned to face Sirius.

'Do you trust me?'

'Y-yeah, of course I do.'

'Then you'll believe me when I say I'm not suicidal?'

They stared at each other with equal fierceness.

'Yes.'

Remus smiled and took a deep breath.

'All those thoughts and feelings I had are gone. Virtually. I mean, I still know I have them, but their past effect on me is gone, it left yesterday morning when...' Remus faltered and skipped a few beats. '... Well, and when you were gone I was sitting up here, and I wanted to know what it was like to jump down... Not to kill myself, but I want to know what it's like to fall off the Tower. Do you understand?'

Sirius lowered his hand, 'You mean like bungee-jumping? I've heard Muggles do that. But they have a rope attached to them.'

'Well, we're wizards, remember?' Remus said, taking out his wand and waving it a few times in the air. 'Magic? Ring a bell?'

Sirius pulled his wand out of his robes and frowned. 'But what spell would this be though?'

'There's a spell that can stop people falling,' Remus explained. 'I think we read about it in Charms, do you know it?'

Sirius racked his mind and remembered the incantation. 'Yup. _Arresto Momentum_, or something, right?'

'That's the one,' Remus nodded and waited.

'What?'

'Aren't you going to jump with me? We can get to the Shrieking Shack faster if we just drop a few storeys-'

'No way,' Sirius shook his head, wondering for a moment what kind of thoughts had passed through Remus's head whilst he was gone.

'Well,' Remus said simply, jumping off the ledge, his shoes slapping against the floor. 'I suppose we could just go down the steps-'

'Okay, fine!' Sirius said, throwing his arms up and climbing onto the ledge, giving in. 'Let's do this thing.'

'Are you sure?' Remus asked, smiling up at him. 'It is quite a way down.'

'Yeah, well, I need an adrenaline rush,' Sirius said, rubbing his hands together before raising his wand. Remus grinned and climbed onto the ledge next to him. They linked arms and stared at the blackness below, lit only by a few orange lights from the school and the pale moon above.

Just as a cold breeze blew into their faces, Remus tugged on Sirius's hand.

'Let's go.'

And they threw themselves through the air and into the empty space before them.

* * *

**A/N: According to Wikipedia, _sui caedere_ means to kill oneself.**_  
_


	25. The Visitor

The wind whistled and howled as they plummeted to the ground, their stomachs left behind on top of the Tower. The cold slapped their faces in protest and their robes fluttered, icy air supporting their bodies as they fell closer and closer to the world below.

Blood pulsed through their bodies and filled their ears, any yells or laughs by the boys lost in downwards plummet. The ground below grew closer and closer and they fell faster and faster until at one moment they both raised their wands and screamed.

'_Arresto Momentum_!'

Their bodies slowed and thumped against the dewy grass. They panted and breathed in the fresh, cool air. They slowly got to their feet, regaining their footing and senses, they heads spinning with adrenaline.

'Whoa,' choked Sirius, bringing a hand to his forehead to ease his balance.

Remus's face was white as well and he breathed rapidly, slipping slightly as he took a step forward.

'It really was an adrenaline rush.'

*

Passing through the tunnel underneath the Whomping Willow, they occasionally shot glances at each other and grinned, their faces lit from their wands as they made their way down the earthy tunnel, roots hanging down from the ceiling. When they entered the Shrieking Shack, the inside was lit with floating orbs of light which made a trail along the staircase to the main room. Muffled voices could be heard from above and they tapped their way up the steps and entered through the half-mangled door.

'Surprise!' chirruped a voice and Sirius and Remus were hugged by a beaming Lily.

'It's not a surprise though, we know what's going on here,' Sirius shrugged, peering past Lily's shoulder to look at what had been done to the room.

Red and gold orbs of light floated above their heads so the room was showered with the Gryffindor colours, the couch which had been half torn-to-pieces had been replaced with a sleek, black leather couch where James and Peter were sitting, golden goblets in their hands. A coffee-table sat in front of them with an assortment of sweets scattered across it; Lemon Drops, Cockroach Cluster, Honey Quills, Sugar Quills, Chocolate Frogs, and Coconut Ice-Balls amongst a few desserts they recognized from the kitchens.

On the other side of the room were an assortment of coloured pouffes; yellow, green, blue, red and silver. But the green was already occupied by the last person expected at a Marauder party.

'Snape?' said Remus in mild surprise.

'Snape!' exclaimed Sirius, his feelings a weird mix of gratitude and pure hatred.

'Hi...' Snape said slowly and Lily bustled over to him and pulled him up.

'Guys, I invited Snape because I thought he deserved a welcome-back party too,' Lily said fairly. 'That and you really should try to warm up to him at the very least, he's not that bad.'

Now Sirius understood why James and Peter were on the other side of the room, their tactic was: run for cover. Remus cleared his throat and spoke up.

'Lily, I don't think you'll be able to force friendship out of some of us...' he said, eyeing Sirius, James and Peter. 'However, Snape,' he approached the skinny boy, 'I wanted to thank you for all your help. You've really pulled through this last month... What with the library... and the Potion…'

'And the scar across his face,' Sirius interrupted. 'Yeah, Snivellus, thanks a lot for that one.'

Snape rolled his eyes but the side of his lip quivered at Remus, as if a smile, 'You're welcome…'

'Sevy's not too great with socializing with people,' Lily explained, tugging on Snape's arm and pulling him towards Sirius who was mouthing "Sevy" with a look of revulsion across his face. 'Come on, Sirius, I know you're grateful he helped Remus with that Potion...'

Snape and Sirius glared at each other and both, though understanding Lily's motives for getting them to become friends, knew that it was never going to happen. Never.

'Thanks,' Sirius said stiffly and Snape's head jerked in acknowledgment.

'Wonderful!' Lily clapped her hands together. 'Okay, so guys, I've devised a game we can all play together, and I think this is going to be fun because-'

'Because I helped!' James yelled, jumping to his feet and adjusting his glasses, not forgetting to mess up his hair as well. 'See, Lily thought Truth and Dare would be a good idea so I thought, why not take it a step further?'

'So, I asked Sev-'

'So, Lily asked Snape to bring a little something up here...' James fumbled in the pockets of his robes and pulled out a tiny bottle with a clear liquid inside. 'He's got us some Veritaserum to help with the game!'

Remus frowned disapprovingly at the bottle but didn't say anything.

Sirius's insides danced with excitement.

'And we've decided that the dare part of it... whoever says the dare will use the Imperius Curse to get the other person to do what they want,' James continued and then Remus put his foot down.

'The Imperius Curse is illegal.'

'Yes, and so is unauthorized use of the Veritaserum, but nobody will find out, will they?' Snape said slyly. 'And you're all _friends_ here... if somebody suggests something disagreeable, you can simply,' he smiled, 'stop them.'

'That's true...' Sirius said, looking at Remus with what he hoped was encouragement.

'Well, I'm not playing,' said Remus sharply and he sat down in the red pouffe as the others took their seats in individual pouffes.

'Now,' Snape explained. 'When using the Veritaserum you only need a tiny dab on your finger for the effect we want, don't over-do it or you'll find yourself getting many questions at once and that would be... undesirable.'

'Well said,' Lily nodded and she got up and put the snack-bowl in the middle of the circle, taking a Chocolate Frog and stuffing it in her mouth, throwing the wrapper over her shoulder. 'Okay, so... I'll go first, shall I?'

* * *

**A/N: A pretty short chapter, but the next one is about three times longer, so... Cool. Also, I have a FictionPress account, and I recently uploaded all these old stories I've written. If you want, check it out. :)**

**I just want to say that it's not necessary that you guys write reviews, I mean, it's not like I'm going to jump off a cliff or hang myself if I don't get any. I just don't want to force you guys into writing reviews, if you don't want to, don't write one. But if you want to, I'll gladly accept them.**

**Also, re-reading this chapter, with the falling to the ground reminded me of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy with the falling whale and flower-pot. And... As for reading new things, I've borrowed Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice and I'm enjoying it very much. Will probably finish it tonight.  
**


	26. I Can't Believe It's Not Veritaserum!

A strong wind hit the Shack and made a whistling noise. It sounded a lot like a woman screaming. The orbs of lights over their heads cast red and gold over their faces and gave the effect of the room being warm and cosy, when in reality, it was a little chilly.

'Someone think of a question for Lily,' Sirius snapped, staring accusingly at each in the circle, excluding Remus who he raised his eyebrows at.

'Er, Lily,' Peter said in a soft voice and he cleared his throat. 'I have a truth for you,' Lily adjusted her position on her pouffe and looked attentive, 'Why do you have a grudge against Emma?'

Lily's mouth quivered and she put her finger against the Veritaserum bottle and turned it upside down and then upright, a small dab of Potion on her index finger. She brought it to her lips and sucked. Her eyes glazed over and she answered.

'Back in Third Year, I offered to help pay for a Butterbeer in The Three Broomsticks, because she couldn't seem to find enough coins in her wallet. It was freezing that day and I thought it would be nice for her to get one. But then she turned to me and screamed in my face, 'Are you suggesting I'm poor?' and when I shook my head and said no, saying I could pay for it anyway, she punched me in the face and broke my nose... I spent the rest of my first Hogsmead weekend in the Hospital Wing.'

Lily's eyes returned to normal and Sirius's mouth hung open but Lily shrugged. 'What do you expect? You know what she's like... Oh, Sirius. It's your turn now, right? I have one for you... Truth,' Sirius was ready and he took the Veritaserum bottle and tipped the bottle upside down, a drop falling onto his tongue. He smacked his lips together as if he had just drunk some fine wine. 'How did you and each of your girlfriends get together? You never told us.'

When Sirius spoke, it was in a monotone voice, and Remus looked at Sirius with unease.

'Gloria, my first girlfriend, approached me in Fourth Year in the Charms Corridor- she told me she couldn't find a pair of knickers of hers. I asked her where she had them last and she shrugged, and being the gentleman, decided to help her. She brought me into a room.

''I think this is where I kept them last,' she murmured, and then she gave an exclamation of triumph, mock-triumph, really, and slowly pulled her robes up her thin, slender leg, reaching her, I suspect, cotton-underwear which had a pattern of pink stars across white,' James snorted with laughter and Lily's face grew pink, she seemed to regret having asked.

Of course, what other kinds of stories would you get from asking Sirius a thing like that? she thought.

'And then, with amazing precision, we kissed and figured, hey, let's go out. So, that's how me and the red-head got together,' Sirius took a slow, even breath and James's shoulders shook with silent laughter. 'Then there was Raven, with her dazzling, black hair... I heard her singing one evening and followed the voice. It was during dinner, so I wasn't sure why she had skipped it. I climbed the stairs until I reached the Third Floor...

'I found her in an empty class, singing Au Claire De La Lune in a beautiful, beautiful voice. I saw her and she saw me and we seemed to be drawn together. We had many classes together and I had often seen her staring at me, which wasn't surprising, considering it was me, so she looked at me and drew near and we kissed. She spoke to me for the first time. She had such a nice voice…

'But then, the next day, after we had gotten together, I found she had caught the flu off me and it damaged her singing _and _normal voice. It would have healed in a few days but she took some strange Potions, which I think she made herself, to make it better - and her voice is now extremely frustrating and painful to listen to. Now Emma,' Peter's ears pricked and he leaned forward.

'Emma was different. We chatted in classes - I think you can remember - we spoke when the teachers talked and we pretended we hadn't. One time, during a Quidditch match, she tugged on my hand and pulled me away from the game, pulling me under the seats. I remember hearing people stamping their feet on the seats above. Then, she asked me, 'Do you want to go somewhere?' and I said, with a slight urgency, 'I want to get back to watching the Quidditch game. My mate James, he's playing, you know,' then she blushed and mumbled an apology before asking if she could watch with me. So, I said, sure, why not.

'And, we watched the match together, drawing closer to each other all the while, by the end of the game we were holding hands, and we had become, alas, a couple.'

Sirius blinked a couple of times and when he regained his normal state of mind, smirked at James's silent laughter, Peter's gaping mouth and Lily's small smile. He avoided Remus's eye.

'I kind of wish I hadn't asked,' Lily mumbled.

Sirius turned to Remus who was sitting next to him, then to Snape on his other side.

'Snivelly's turn!' Sirius exclaimed and Snape sighed.

'I have a dare for you, Snape!' James boomed and Snape frowned as James raised his wand and stood. Lily jumped to her feet.

'No. Wait and see if it's an okay dare first,' Lily demanded but James snorted.

'Dance with me, Snape?' James asked, holding out a hand in Noire-movie fashion, and muttering, _'Imperio_!'

'Oh good god,' Lily's palm smacked her forehead as Snape's eyes fogged and he strode towards James and, like a robot, took his hand. The two danced gracefully around the room with a one-two, one-two rhythm, James humming an unknown tune loudly. Sirius barked with laughter and as the two came to a stop, Remus sighed and shook his head, a smile creeping across his face.

When Snape regained proper consciousness and he stared sourly at James, clearly heavily regretting joining in the game.

'No more dares for me, thank you...' murmured Snape, throwing his arms around himself, a pink tinge in his cheeks. The wind howled outside and everyone looked at James expectantly.

'James! I have a dare for you!' Sirius said loudly and James jumped into the air and did a pirouette.

'Bring it on!'

'Okay,' Sirius stood to his feet and pulled out his wand, brandishing it dramatically. 'I want you to strip to the song Dancing Queen by ABBA!' and Lily, Peter, Remus and Snape yelled "No!" just as Sirius roared, _'Imperio_!'

James, with a grin frozen on his face, started to dance with over-exaggerated hip movements. As he twirled and threw his body out into strange shapes, he slowly unbuttoned his robes, singing Dancing Queen completely off-tune, completely oblivious to the others's reactions.

Sirius burst into uncontrollable laughter as the robes began to slip over James's chest and down his arms, the fabric flying about his feet like a puffy skirt. Just as his robes were pulled off, leaving him with his boxer-shorts (a dragon-design), his fingers teased around the elastic of the shorts and just as he began to push them down Lily disarmed Sirius and his wand clattered to the floor.

'Aw, what!' Sirius exclaimed, just as James stopped dead in his tracks and looked down himself.

'No, we're not having any nudity in here!' Lily said loudly. 'It's inappropriate!'

'Yeah, but we've all seen James naked before... Even Snape!' Sirius shouted, turning to his male-friends. 'Remember last year? Everybody got soaked coming back from Hogsmead and we all had to take showers or we'd catch pneumonia, and James threw his clothes off in that corridor where all the showers were and sprinted into the Slytherin one? He came out with a black eye and some bruises on his arm, but he said…' he stopped for effect, 'but he said it was worth it.'

'_I _remember we had to pull him away from the Slytherin showers because he _insisted _on going back inside and putting _itching _powder in Snape's towel,' Remus said, remembering the scene. They had been so cold before jumping into the steaming showers.

'He didn't manage to do that though,' Sirius added, looking at Snape's face that contorted with unpleasant memories. 'Anyway! No matter! Whose turn is it now?'

'Peter's,' Lily said and Sirius spoke again, he had the perfect question.

'Truth, Peter, truth!' Sirius exclaimed and threw the bottle to him, Peter catching it clumsily in his lap and carefully uncorking it, putting a drop in his mouth. 'Did you and Emma ever have sex and if so, what was it like?'

Peter's eyes widened for a split second before they turned glassy. Lily turned to Peter with interest.

'Yes, we did,' Peter began and Sirius made a whooping noise. 'It happened a few weeks after we had gotten together. We had been on a few dates by then and everything was lovely. She passed me a note in class telling me to meet her down at the Greenhouses during dinner one night so I did and she forced entry into Greenhouse Two, where she held me and told me everything was going to be okay. She started out a bit forceful and... rough, to say the least, but I reminded her that she wanted to get rid of that violent part of herself and it ended up being very gentle and... well, pleasant, I suppose.'

He stopped and his eyes became normal again, then his face exploded with a furious blush but Sirius's face fell.

'She took you to Greenhouse Two?'

'Uh, yeah...' Peter said uncertainly, the red in his cheeks slowly disappearing. 'Why?'

'Because that's what she did to me,' Sirius's voice rose. 'The first time we did it we did it in GreenHouse Two - except she used the vines of one of the plants to tie my wrists above my head and -' he stopped abruptly, looking around the circle with wide eyes. 'I've said too much.'

'Yeah, nobody ask him about that. I'm not sure I want to hear that story...' Lily said, shaking her head.

Each person in the circle took a few more turns and they each learned small things about each other, Remus still reluctant to join in despite Sirius's encouragements.

Remus decided that if he was going to let out a secret about himself, it would be through choice, rather than peer-pressure and Veritaserum.

James was forced to tell everybody that he ran away from home once before Hogwarts, and got as far as down the street when he turned around and sprinted back home. He was under the assumption that the neighbors wanted to kill him.

He also did another dare which involved kissing Peter on the cheek, which neither James nor Peter were too fond about, but it happened anyway, and when it finished, there was an awkward silence around the circle, interrupted by Sirius bursting into a giggling fit.

Sirius was forced to say through Veritaserum that he had once learned an entire Shakespeare monologue during the holidays, because he was bored, and his dare was to recite the monologue which he did with amazing accuracy and feeling.

Peter took a dare to recite Baa-Baa Black Sheep with a mouthful full of cockroach cluster (which ended badly) and was forced to tell the circle that he had once taken ballet lessons as a young child, forced by his parents, and how he was thrown off the group the first day when he took off his clothes and refused to wear the proper uniform, explaining that it was too restricting.

Lily was forced to admit that she once wrote a diary but threw it away after she re-read it because she thought she sounded "stupid and shallow". She also did an amazing back bend at the Imperio-request of James and an agreeing Sirius.

Snape's first truth made him say that he had once spiked his parents drinks to make them pass out for a few hours whilst he searched the house for his confiscated rune-stones. They had been taken away in the first place because his parents deemed them to be "Mudblood Divination". When he finished, Lily gave him a hug which seemed to lighten his mood a little. Then when it came around the circle for his next truth, Sirius asked something which he had thought of after he recited Shakespeare.

'Why did Emma suggest to Remus to give you a love-potion?'

Remus, who was struggling to keep awake at this point, re-adjusted himself in his seat as he heard this question.

The bowl in the middle was now empty and candy-wrappers lay strewn across the floor boards behind them. An owl hooted outside as Snape took the Veritaserum, and answered Sirius's question.

'Emma suggested to Lupin that he should give me a love-potion because it was something she _herself _had tried to do to _me_. I had only just arrived in the dungeons for Potions Class and she entered early, deciding for some reason, to sit next to me.

''Where have you been?' she asked and I tried to shoo her away.

''Special school assignment appointed to me by Dumbledore,' I told her, hoping endlessly that she's stop curling her finger around her hair.

''But then, she put a tiny bottle on my desk and smiled at me.

''Have a drink,' she said.

'Of course, she didn't fool me. I told her I knew that it was a love-potion and that placing a potion in front of somebody you barely associate with isn't the way to trick anybody. She asked me what I meant and I told her that to force somebody to drink a Potion, you have to do it subtly and she frowned and crossed her arms, apparently grumpy.

''I just want somebody to love me,' she said. Wishing that she'd go away, I tried to be quick. I asked her why didn't she give it to somebody else and she sighed and said she had an idea of somebody she wanted to give it to. Not really curious, I asked her anyway because it was obviously what she wanted and I thought maybe if she got what she wanted, she'd leave me alone.

'Sirius,' she answered me, and I asked why.

'She said, 'Because we went out once and I don't think there was proper closure on our relationship.'

'I shrugged and tried to wave her away but she continued to speak and I decided to gather ingredients for the Potion we were to perform that lesson. 'How can I get him to drink it?'

'I told her that I thought that to get Sirius to drink anything, she should do it through his boyfriend, Remus Lupin. She didn't like that I said this and she slammed her fist down onto the desk in anger, knocking my quill off my book and splattering ink over the table. 'How do I get him to pay attention, then? How do I get _Remus_ to give _Sirius_ the potion?'

'So, I told her, quite irritably, that she'd have to get him to come to her. She asked how so I told her she had to lure him in. Use her brains, if she had any. Then, she beamed and explained she knew the best way to do this.

'And so, by lunch-time, everybody knew that Remus was a werewolf, and how she knew this, I do not know. But, to properly answer the question, her asking Remus to give me the Potion was undoubtedly something she did as a last resort, hoping that maybe I'd accept a potion from Remus as he has accepted plenty from me in the past.'

The silence hummed as Snape finished and his eyes un-fogged. There was a beating sound of wings as an owl flew away outside and Snape's eyes focused on the circle, blinking, with confusion, at the quiet.

Remus and Sirius stared at Snape in amazement and then, at the same time, got to their feet, nodded at each other, as if part of a famous detective team, and left the Shrieking Shack, making their way back up to Hogwarts with a quick upwards glance to the Astronomy Tower.

Thinking that now that they knew the truth, maybe they could do something about it.

* * *

**A/N: I know that virtually every humor or random HP fic has characters playing Truth or Dare, so I was a bit disappointed with myself for that, as I like to keep things fresh and original, however, they had to find the information from Snape out somehow, and this seemed the easiest way to do it. **

**"The time will come, Harry, when you must choose between what is right, and what is easy."**

**Wise words from Dumbledore. However, he's dead and does not write fanfiction so... I have the magical power of Creative License! *waves wand, sparks flying through the air like a ribbon-baton*  
**


	27. The Candle's Glow

'That's it. I don't give a damn what you say, I'm giving her that bloody-love potion. She deserves it, she really does. Messing in stuff like this, she's got to pay.'

'I just don't think it's a good idea for her to drink the love-potion… So many things could go wrong...'

'Exactly,' Sirius said finally as he sliced some Mandrake Roots and threw them into his potion. 'Also,' Remus looked up from his chopping-board to peer at Sirius, 'don't you think we should Memory-Charm these people? Make them forget about you being a werewolf and all? I mean, even Professor Slughorn's avoiding us and that's saying something. He _loved _talking to me because of my god damn family background.'

Remus sighed and stirred his potion, adjusting the strength of the fire with his wand, 'Sirius...'

'Yeah? Think it's a good idea?'

'I don't want to think about it at the moment...' Remus said and Sirius dropped the subject, that is, until the Wednesday.

*

_Sirius was on top of Remus, laid across a deep red mattress low to the stone ground, the dark room lit by a candle in the middle of the room, flickering and glimmering. Sirius pushed himself forward, then backwards, then forwards, re-adjusted his position, lifted Remus's legs over his shoulders and a smile of satisfaction stained his cheeks as Remus gasped and clenched mounds of sheets in his fists, threatening to crush them into dust._

_But then Sirius heard a giggle behind him. And at first, he tried to ignore it and immerse himself in the boy sprawled beneath him, but then the giggle came again…_

_Then he was standing, fully clothed and wearing Snape's hat and traveling cloak. Remus stood in the middle of the room, holding a candle and wearing a hooded cloak which didn't fully cover his bare chest. Sirius turned in the circular room, the bed now gone, Emma standing with her legs spread, wearing a scarlet dress which hugged her breasts and hips._

_'You called me, darling?' said Sirius in a nonchalant tone, whipping off his hat with one hand and scooping the girl into his chest with the other. They kissed passionately. Remus's eyes were focused on the flame he held and Sirius didn't notice the red seeping out of the scars on his body, vertical lines dripping down his chest._

_'It's good to see you back, my love,' Emma crooned, holding Sirius's face in her hands. And the next time their lips met there was a flash and a whirl of colour…_

_They were in Greenhouse Two and Sirius's arms were extended above his head, vines cutting into his wrists. Emma who was naked, like him, moved towards him, lifting herself and grinding her hips into his pelvis. Sirius gasped and, for a moment, his eyes focused over his shoulders where a figure was standing._

_Remus was standing next to the teacher's desk, his face void of expression, a candle on the desk shining dimly._

_'Uh... Remus...' Sirius muttered and his hand pulled at his binds, but the binds grew tighter and wrapped themselves further around his hands, clasping them tightly. 'Hey… Man's right… C'mon!!'_

_Sirius couldn't do a thing as the blonde slid over him, breathing with pleasure, her breasts caressing his chest as she moved. Suddenly, the vines snaked further around his wrists and down his arms...  
_

_Next thing he knew, he was engulfed in coarse vines, pulling themselves tighter and tighter around him, covering his entire body and crushing him to death…_

_Emma was gone..._

_As Sirius disappeared further in the mass of green and misty air, he looked through a gap and saw Remus kneeling in front of him, his eyes wide and sincere, and sad. The candle he was holding fell into the plants and vanished from sight._

_'Oh, Sirius...' he said remorsefully. 'If only you could do something.'_

_And then Remus turned into the werewolf and slashed and bit at the vines, tearing them away and snarling dangerously, sharp fangs bared. As Sirius was released from the plant, he thought he was saved... but Remus didn't stop. The werewolf's teeth threw away the remaining vines and then sank deep into his gut. Blood seeped from the wound, hot scarlet making whimsical trails down his stomach and back. Sirius's insides churned as the werewolf bit again and Sirius transformed into the dog…_

_There was a flash and the two dogs were in the middle of the Shrieking Shack, glaring at each other, their teeth bared, a candle lit in between them. A few moments passed and their eyes met. In that instant the two dogs jumped at each other and the candle was knocked to the floor where the flame flickered and slowly died as the dogs snapped and snarled at each other.  
_

_But just as Sirius went to bite the werewolf's neck, it was now a human neck, a man's neck, and the bitter taste of iron filled his mouth as Remus Lupin's neck snapped in his hold and vertical scarlet lines barred his skin._

_The dog dropped Remus onto the ground and there was another flash..._

_Sirius was back where he started, in the circular, stone room, naked and curled over his boyfriend. Remus's eyes were filled with agonizing lust_ _but Sirius slowed and indefinitely, came to a stop. He drew away from Remus, blood dripping from the roof of his mouth onto his eager, waiting tongue. Sirius's mouth filled with the liquid, it covered his throat and mouth with a thin sheet of red and Sirius stepped away from Remus, his fingers drawing to his lips in silent, increasing horror.  
_

_Remus got to his feet and wrapped the red-sheets around him._

_'What's wrong?' he asked and Sirius took another firm step backwards._

_'Nothing,' Sirius replied quietly, and the flame of the candle in the center of the room flickered and faded, going out, leaving everything in a searing blackness..._

Sirius sat up in his bed.

As his forehead dripped with sweat, he looked over to Remus's sleeping form across the dormitory and thought.

*

Sirius sneaked out of bed early that morning and descended into the Great Hall. It was completely empty and his feet smacked against the floor, black robes sliding across his ankles. He had taken the small red-bottle from Remus's robes draped over the end of his bed and stuffed it into his pocket. He took a goblet off the table and poured the entire bottle inside of it. Sirius peered into the glass, thinking the liquid looked like wine. He took out his wand and tapped the rim of the gold goblet. With a crackle, the colour changed from deep-red to clear, like water.

He sat down on a bench and stared around the hall, sighing, his thumb stroking the neck of the goblet. He had so many memories here.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the Great Hall slowly fill with students and teachers who took their places at their tables. Sirius jumped and looked around as Peter sat next to him, and then he spotted her. Emma. Blonde, attractive, amazingly beautiful and psycho-crazy. Emma walked calmly into the Hall and towards the Hufflepuff table and Sirius leaped to his feet. He hurried up to her, calling her name and holding the goblet out.

'Sirius!' she exclaimed and Sirius pushed the goblet into her hands, making sure it didn't spill.

'Have some water,' Sirius said. Emma sniffed the goblet.

'This isn't water,' she said.

Sirius knew, amongst the sleepy groans and croaky talking hum around them, that he was being foolish.

'This isn't water,' Sirius confirmed.

'This is a love-potion,' said Emma.

'This is a love-potion,' agreed Sirius.

'This is for me.'

'This is for you, yes, it is,' Sirius said quickly, trying to ease the goblet from her grasp. 'Guess you don't want it anymore.'

'Are you kidding?' Emma said suddenly, loudly. 'Of course I do! Just you wait. I'll drink it right now.'

But as she lifted the goblet towards her mouth, she paused, bringing the it down, and taking Sirius's hand. She pulled him out of the Great Hall and they stood in the empty Entrance Hall, the humming of chatter in the Great Hall ceasing as soon as the door slammed shut.

'Okay, here it goes!' Emma said again, hardly containing her excitement and she threw it down her throat, smacking her lips delightedly. She clearly thought it was a love-potion for her to fall in love with Sirius. How wrong she was...

Sirius scratched his chin and looked nervously around them, but the Entrance Hall was still cold and empty. As Emma looked in her goblet and tried to drain the last drops, Sirius could stand the silence no longer.

'How do you feel?'

'Hmm...' Emma contemplated, licking her lips slowly. 'I'm not sure.'

'Well, try to describe it.'

'Okay, well... I feel like just after you've drunken Butter-Beer,' she stated and Sirius rose an eyebrow.

'Drunk?'

'Well, sort of... Like... Love-drunk more like.'

'I assume that's what happens when you drink a love-potion,' Sirius shrugged and he held out his hand to retrieve the gold but Emma's fingers clenched around its neck.

'I suppose it takes a little while to work properly...' Emma frowned, but then she shrugged and walked away towards the main-steps, ignoring Sirius's outstretched hand. Just as she was half way up the steps, Sirius called after her, remembering she hadn't eaten anything.

'Aren't you hungry?'

Sirius stood for a few moments outside the Great Hall, thinking of Emma as she left, and of the dream he had had that morning. For a few seconds he remembered the strange pictures and the disturbing amount of _blood _and _sex _in it... What did it mean? Was his subconscious taunting him? A voice drifted through his ears.

'Sirus? Why are you standing outside of the Great Hall? Breakfast is inside.'

Sirius looked up, dazed, into the face of his boyfriend. He remembered that in his dream he had him pinned to a scarlet bed...

'What's wrong? You look like you've seen the Bloody Barron.'

'I...' Sirius spluttered. What did he say? 'I...'

Remus's face softened and he touched Sirius's hand in gentle concern.

'What's bothering you?'

Sirius mentally slapped himself and turned to look determinedly into Remus's face before pulling on Remus's hand and jerking the boy away from the Entrance Hall.

'We need to talk.'

*

When they arrived in the choice broom-closet, Sirius pulled out a couple of buckets from under a shelf and turned them over, sitting on one. Remus squinted in the darkness and pulled out his wand, waving it. A candle appeared in mid air and when Remus pointed his wand upwards, the candle serenely floated to meter above their heads. Remus then sat on the bucket, wincing at the dull scraping noise it made against the floor. The broom-closet smelt like moth balls and wet clothes and there were a number of potions and brushes against the walls on separate shelves, each labeled something different.

Remus leaned back against the shelves and observed Sirius's distinct fidgeting; scratching the stubble on his neck, cracking his knuckles, carving dirt out from under his fingernails... and Sirius's eyes met Remus and then, breaking the silence, told Remus about the dream, his grey eyes not leaving the amber ones. But Remus occasionally looked away, especially at the mentions of Emma. And as Sirius continued to explain the dream, Sirius wondered if he was being too honest, saying too much, because Remus's face steadily looked older and older, wearier and wearier... When Sirius finished Remus lifted his head from off his hands and forced a smile.

'You like Emma, Sirius.'

The flame flickered mutely above them and cast deep shadows under their eyes, making both of them look sleep-deprived.

'No I don't.'

Remus voice was forceful, 'Yes, you do.'

'Do you not remember _your _half of the dream?'

'Yes, I do. It was with me, but you killed me in your dream... I'm saying that it's obvious you're still attracted to Emma,' Remus sighed deeply and tears pricked his eyes, 'after all, we haven't...'

'Haven't what?'

'Well, I happened to have noticed a small trend with you and your ex-girlfriends,' Remus said sternly. 'You got frisky with them, you -'

'You can't be suggesting that I liked them more than you?' Sirius's mouth dropped. 'No, no, no, Remus. That's not it. I went out with them ages ago, a time where I was a slave to my... pesky teenage hormones but I suppose I've grown up now!'

Remus snorted and Sirius was indignant.

'I don't like Emma,' he paused, 'I mean, sure, she's attractive, but that's all it is, Remus! Attraction! Okay, so physical urges tend to take a hold of one's subconscious every once in awhile, but it's not... I'll never love her ever again. Never. I like you, Remus. Not her, not Raven, not Gloria, none of them. They're nothing compared to you.'

'So I suppose that I'm just a few notches above them,' Remus said. 'Very comforting... very comforting...'

'Look,' Sirius said abruptly, suddenly, 'you clearly have some serious self-esteem problems and I don't know why you need to fling them on me to sort them out!'

'Of course I have self esteem issues!' Remus said loudly, jumping to his feet and staring down at Sirius, 'you made James strip, you agreed to watch Lily do a rather-sensual back-bend, you had that dream about Emma. You know for the last few days you've been saying her name in your sleep? Your sleep, Sirius! It's obvious your subconscious mind knows your feelings for her a lot better than I do, so why oh why do you persist in trying to convince me that I'm wrong?'

There was a scurrying noise of a mouse at the back of a shelf and a few glass bottles clinked together to let it pass.

'What do you want?' Sirius moaned. 'What do you want? If you don't believe me when I say I don't have feelings for them, what do you want me to do?'

Remus breathed heavily through his teeth and his jaw locked together for a moment, possibly weighing out the options. Then, he slumped back down against the bucket and groaned, 'I'm sorry...'

'What?' Sirius was dumbfounded. Remus's emotions could switch as randomly as a female's from one pole to the other. He suddenly felt guilty. 'Why? Look, I'm the only who's... I shouldn't have mentioned that dream at all. It's upset you.'

He said these last few words bitterly as if he regreted mentioning the dream at all, maybe so he didn't have to cop so much flak. Remus sighed again and he lifted his head up to look into Sirius's eyes.

'I'm taking this all badly... I'm... I'm glad you were honest with me.'

They spent a few moments in tranquil silence, regaining what composure they could, the flame observing the two all the while above their heads, the white wax sliding down the body of the candle and vanishing as it reached the bottom.

Then, they decided to be completely honest with each other. They had been putting it off for too long.

So, in turn, they told the other of their feelings and thoughts during particular points in time, starting all the way back from when Sirius told the Great Hall they were "a pair of flamin' homos" and Remus had stormed off up to the Astronomy Tower, working past their kiss in the Great Hall in front of school, past that other kiss on the Astronomy Tower, to their time in Hogsmead when they finally gained some clarity on their relationship, through the times Sirius had tried to get Snape to crack, through the times Sirius had left Remus alone, all the way through the weeks when Remus was ill, past the point where they had sex for the first time, back-tracking to the past few days when they jumped off the Astronomy Tower, to the truth-and-dare session, and all the way up to the present, touching lightly on the fight they just had, deciding, that it was necessary, despite its unpleasant nature.

When they finished, hours had passed and breakfast was long gone. They sat on the buckets, their muscles aching in tiredness, their minds numbed with thought, and Sirius brought back up the question he had asked earlier.

'So what did you want me to do?'

Remus pushed himself off the shelf and leaned forward, 'Oh, well, I was going to say that I wanted us to be honest with each other about... things... but we've done that.'

'No, we haven't,' Sirius said steadily. 'You're lying.'

Remus gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his neck, 'Yes, well... I suppose I am.' and then he took a steady breath. 'Well, you know, our first time wasn't perfect...'

'We just went over this,' Sirius frowned, sitting back on his seat, but Remus shook his head.

'No, well... I was thinking about how you and your ex-girlfriends used to - er - have sex, quite often and I wondered, why haven't we done that?'

'Don't be stupid,' Sirius retorted. 'I respect you and, we've never been in this kind of relationship so that's pretty much... why we haven't.'

'Lack of experience?' Remus's eyes glinted at Sirius and Sirius lowered his head. 'I know you have experience, Sirius, although perhaps not with a male... I know you definitely have with females, and that's a lot more than I have.'

'So what are you getting at?' Sirius asked, loosing his breath in his throat.

'Well, I was thinking, about our second time... how about now?'

Sirius was taken completely off-guard and he made wild motions with his hands as if he tried to wave the words into nothingness.

'Are you sure? I mean, so soon? I mean...'

'I know exactly what you mean, Sirius. However, I also know exactly what _I_ mean,' Remus said seriously, carefully, 'I understand that the concept of being ready may not have occurred to you, but it has for me. Ever since the first time I've been determined to experience more... to learn more... because I feel very uneducated in this particular department,' Remus spoke, his speech gaining pace, his eyes glowing with the prospect, his face flushing dully as he continued. 'So, Sirius, I ask you... are you ready? And will you-'

'Will I?' Sirius repeated dumbly, stupidly, his coherent mind losing itself in the shock. Remus nodded.

'Yes, will you?' Remus continued, his back now flat against the wall, his fingers grasping the buttons on his robes and slowly un-doing them so that his front was bare. Slowly, scar by scar appeared, and then his robes were fully open, his dark undergarments contrasting magnificently against his pale skin which glowed in the candlelight. He shut his eyes for a moment as if trying to figure out what he was doing but then he opened them again, staring at Sirius with the most ferocity he could muster. 'I'm ready, Sirius... Do with me what you will, for I'm quite eager to learn.'

As Sirius's fingers trembled in sudden nervous excitement, he stood and the kicked bucket away so it was lost underneath the lowest shelf. He drew closer to Remus, one hand now resting on his bare waist, the other stretching to his face where he tucked some strands of brown hair behind an ear, he kissed the ear-lobe gently and a grin spread across his face as small gasp escaped Remus's throat.

And all the while, above their heads, the candle burned.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter took hours to edit. I had deleted half of it on accident in Word so I had to re-write the entire scene with Sirius and Remus's fight. But I think it turned out better the second-time round writing it. Also, there's a moment in the dream where it says "increasing horror" - I had another word for that originally which worked a lot better but Word said it wasn't a word so... it's the boss. This is, I can tell you for sure, is the last dream-sequence in the story. So now we've glimsed into both Remus's and Sirius's dreams, both remotely intense in their own way. There's, again, quite a bit of symbolism in the dream, if you care to look, though the thing I made most prominant was the candle, which is quite easy to understand. But then again, I wrote the story, so it might make more sense to me than it does to you.  
**


	28. Just Listen To The Silence

Sirius grinned as he departed to Ancient Runes, Remus trotting close at his heels, a similar smirk upon his face.

'I can't believe you still want to go to class,' Remus exclaimed, hitching his bag over his shoulder and turning down a short corridor.

'Yeah, well, I really just want to see the looks on James's, Peter's and Lily's faces as we walk into class with these stupid looks on our faces,' Sirius replied with a distinct smugness.

'Does it really look that stupid?' Remus inquired.

'Nah, it's just going to look suspicious.'

'But isn't that what you want?'

'That's exactly what I want,' Sirius replied finally and he winked at Remus as they approached their friends outside the classroom. Of course, their reactions were a waggling eyebrows by James and an "Uh-huh, I see what you did there" look from Lily. Peter, on the other hand, seemed preoccupied and his eyes didn't leave the wall opposite them.

'Where's Emma? I haven't seen her all day,' he asked under his breath and Sirius, too distracted by Remus's presence to pay proper attention, just waved a hand and said, 'No idea.'

He could hardly grasp his friends' conversation because he was replaying moments inside of his head from the broom-closet, a dull, warm ache in his stomach.

Sirius thought and thought again: he had given blow jobs to girls before but _never _a guy. But the great thing about the experience was the reactions. That's all it came down to. If you're pleasuring someone, it excites you to no end when you know that they're enjoying what you're doing; the quickened breathing pace, the jolting body; you can't hide things like that. You can't fake them easily, and all who can have to be pros before they can really fool anybody. Sirius's insides gave a small lurch as he remembered Remus's reactions. He had been Remus's witness. He could still remember Remus's milky white skin under the candle-light, the flickering candle casting moving shadows on their bodies, when in reality, they weren't moving much at all.

He walked into class in a daze but as Sirius took his seat, he knew something was very wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something unsettling in the air. Lily, James and Peter sat on Sirius's sides, a spare gap between them for Remus who was giving an explanation to the wiry-haired witch with bushy eyebrows.

The class watched the teacher in a blank, zombie-faced fascination and Lily whispered urgently, 'What's wrong with everybody? Why are they all so quiet?'

It was at that moment Sirius knew what was wrong. It was too quiet. Normally before a class his class-mates would be chattering and talking of their day's events. Sirius didn't understand why they were so silent... His eyes followed his class-mate's gaze and realized with impending unease, that they weren't looking at Professor Wheatburn, they were looking at Remus. They were staring at him with a glassy stare which was not unlike that of slaves. But the thing that bothered Sirius most was that Remus had not noticed, too caught up with his conversation. But Sirius noticed, James and Lily noticed, even Peter noticed, and he was focusing more on the door as if he was waiting for somebody to walk in. Sirius became restless in his seat and began to fidget, his eyes darting from his friends to his class-mates to Remus and the Professor at the front of the class.

The wait was agonizing, but they didn't have to wait much longer because Remus's explanation was quickly approaching a dead end.

'So, you see, Miss Wheatburn... that Sirius and I were absent because I was frightfully ill and needed special care-' Remus was saying, but he was interrupted.

'Why not go to Madam Pomfrey?'

Her reply was sharp, not brittle in the least.

'Well, uh, you see, it was quite an intricate case-'

'You didn't think Madam Pomfrey could deal with, uh... excuse me... werewolves?'

'Uh, no... not at all-'

Lily and James put their heads together and spoke in hushed voices.

'You didn't trust your burden with your teachers because you deemed us unworthy of your time?'

Remus's face puckered with indignation, 'How can you say such a thing? I have full faith in my teachers - I did not want-'

'What you want doesn't matter, Mr Lupin.'

Sirius sat stiffly in his seat and his eyes moved carefully, cautiously, fearfully, towards the other students as, in unison, they slowly rose to their feet.

'The School Governors have appointed me with the duty of... removing you, _werewolf_,' the teacher continued with a crackled voice. 'I'm most suited to the job. Do you know why? No? Because my _fiancé _was a _werewolf!_ But he left me. But then I caught him, but again, the petty bastard escaped again. So I'm sure you'll be able to understand my reasoning for displacing you. Fenrir did.'

Remus's eyes widened and a gray light filled the classroom as the teacher's words sunk in. The words "removing", "werewolf" and "Fenrir" seeped into his conscious like water into a napkin.

'Fenrir Greyback was your _fiancé_?'

'That's right,' she said slowly, dangerously, and Remus took a step back, his eyes not leaving that of the teacher's as she continued, 'and he, like you, needs to be restrained.'

Then they leaped. In a single, horrifying moment, every single student leaped at Remus like pouncing panthers over tables. They knocked quills and ink-pots to the floor with a flutter and smash, there was an ear-crating noise that was a table scraping the floor, and chairs falling and clattering loudly. It was pandemonium.

Lily, James, Peter and Sirius stood at the back of the class, and the students before them pulled out their wands, surrounding Remus and shouted spells towards him. Lily, James, Peter and Sirius were shocked into silence, but then, Sirius took a step forward, a sudden rage replacing the unease.

'Let go of him, you shit-heads!'

A couple of students, including Sirius's black-haired ex-girlfriend, Raven, and James's wannabe-rapist, Derrek, turned, their wands at the ready. Sirius's grit together and James's fists clenched, an overwhelming anger filling their souls.

'How about you go and fuck yourself?' James growled brutally, and he punched Derrek in the nose, knocking him backwards and onto the floor. Raven, jumping over Derrek's fallen form with grace, shot a spell at James that narrowly missed his ear and James cast a Silencing Charm on her as her shrill, ear-splitting voice reached him.

Sirius pushed the gaping girl out of the way and tried to see past all the students. Then, through the mass, he saw Remus Lupin, vines wrapped tight around him, holding his arms and legs together. A vine shot out of somebody's wand and wrapped around his face, gagging him. Professor Wheatburn seemed to be smiling at him and Sirius caught Remus's eye just before she secured a blind-fold over his eyes.

Remus's eyes only said one thing to Sirius, and that thing was: go.

As Lily shot disarming spell at Raven, Sirius pulled her and James away by the wrists, nodding at the window, 'Let's go.'

'Are you out of your mind?' Lily cried, wrenching her arm out of Sirius's grasp, 'We're on the tenth floor!'

'Exactly,' Sirius said and, as a few students turned from the main clutter, snarling, he gathered James and Lily together and pushed them simultaneously towards the wide, glass window. It crashed as the two students smashed through it, the glass fragments reflecting sunlight towards them like glittering jewels.

Then, Sirius turned to Peter, 'Do you want me to push you?'

But Peter didn't say anything, his eyes wide and frightful, and just as Derrek and a few other students lunged at them, Sirius pulled Peter towards the gaping window and threw himself out of it, Peter close behind, the screams from above following their descent.

*

Sirius shot spells out of his wand as he fell and Lily and James, ants below, landed safely on the ground.

Still, tears flew out of his eyes and the cold beat his face as he and Peter plummeted down nine storeys, seven storeys, five storeys, two storeys, and then Sirius screamed a spell out at the top of his lungs, and his and Peter's descend was slowed. They thumped to the ground.

But he didn't have time to soak in the dew or admire the fresh smell of grass, Sirius stood and stared upwards at the gaping hole, glass teeth biting over a black hole. A few silhouettes appeared in the window.

'What the bloody hell-' James began, as he got to his feet, but he was cut off by a scream from above.

'_STUPIFY!_'

James dropped to the ground as he was hit by the spell and Lily swore, holding her wand at the ready. Peter whimpered as more yells came from the broken window and he too pulled out his wand, but held it with a shaking hand.

'This sure is a crap-fest,' Sirius grumbled suddenly and sent a spell towards James's collapsed form, making it hover. Then, after glancing to each of his friends in turn, he sprinted off across the grounds, Lily and Peter following automatically as they raced to the Whomping Willow, red, green and blue sparks missing them by inches.

*

When they arrived in the shack, panting and gasping, James's body thudded to the ground and he regained consciousness. He got to his feet, rubbing his head and looking around. Lily stood by James and touched his face as as Sirius threw himself onto the leather couch. Peter lay down on the ground and his breaths were shuddering and hopeless. Then, Lily and James took a step forward and Peter sat up, and they all began to yell.

'Sirius, what made you think that jumping off the tenth floor was _okay_?'

'Who knew Professor Wheatburn's fiancé was _Fenrir Greyback_?'

'What are we going to do?'

'What _can _we do?'

'Why are they after us, anyway?'

'What's all that crap about Remus being _dangerous_?'

'But he is dangerous!'

'But we handle it, don't we?'

'Oh my god, are we leaving Hogwarts now? They're bound to catch us.'

Sirius watched his friends bicker and argue, occasionally throwing insults towards him and more rightfully, Professor Wheatburn, but soon it became too much, their voices clawing and aggravating his already pounding headache. He stamped his feet on the ground, almost making another hole in the floorboards and he yelled, '_SHUT UP!_'

He breathed heavily as his friends came to silence, James, Lily and Peter, their eyes wide, frightened, angry and worried, stared into his own, mirroring his own features.

'We need to figure out what to do...' Sirius murmured, putting a massive effort into keeping his voice calm. 'We all agree what happened was unexpected-'

'But we knew parents were going to do something about him being a werewolf once they found out!' James retorted, taking a step towards Sirius as he left the couch and approached them.

'Exactly, you can't say it's completely unexpected,' Peter agreed.

Sirius snarled, 'But did you see them doing anything like this?'

A floorboard creaked below them and Sirius continued, walking over to a broken chair and picking up a snapped leg.

'I think we should put a Memory Charm on every single one of them,' Sirius said finally, remember the idea that had been shot down by Remus.

'That would take a very long time...' Lily moaned, pocketing her wand. 'And do any of you know how to do a Memory Charm that precise?'

She was right. None of them knew how to do a really specific Memory Charm... It could all go extremely wrong. They'd get in trouble with the Ministry if the memory loss was too significant. Peter, following Lily's example, put his wand back into his robes and James grumbled something before Lily summoned his wand towards him and, when it zoomed into Lily's outstretched hand and she handed it to James, he was muttering, 'No, forget about the wand... _nobody needs one really._ It won't save your life or anything...'

'Bloody hell, Lily,' Sirius growled in frustration. 'Well, what else are we supposed to do?'

Another floor board creaked and Sirius threw the remains of the chair towards the wall where it made a banging noise, splintering and fracturing into a thousand pieces.

'I...' Peter began, but he fell short, lost for ideas. James looked dumbstruck at Sirius, and he knew they were screwed. Some top-students they were.

'Wait...' Lily said slowly. 'We might be able to... There are Memory Potions designed for this sort of thing... I'm sure of it...'

'Oh thank god!' Sirius gasped, and he ran to Lily and rang her hands together, his mind flurried with sudden relief and excitement. 'So what are the ingredients, what do we need to do?'

'I think... But, Sirius, how will we give it to everybody?'

'Pff... That's obvious, isn't it?' James snorted, glad they were finally getting somewhere. 'Spike their drinks. We've done it before, remember?'

'Yeah, we got banned from the kitchens for a term because of it...' Sirius agreed, darkly. 'We got everybody drunk...'

'That was funny,' Peter commented but then he shook his head. 'But...'

'Peter's right,' Lily objected. '_But._ But do you know how _long _this Potion takes to make?'

'Er... No.' James blurted out and Lily sighed.

'Well, you see, you have to put in the number of days the actual memory has been around for, and then you have to add a week... A week! You have to give the potion as soon as it's made and by then they could have sent Remus to Azkaban or something by then, right?'

'I don't think they'd send him to Azkaban...' Sirius frowned, but he couldn't help wondering. 'That's a bit much, but... a week, I know what you mean... they could have done god-knows to him... In fact, what will they be doing?'

'She said _restrain _him...' Lily murmured but then she shook her red-hair out angrily. 'Oh I don't believe this! How can Dumbledore be okay with this?'

'I don't think he is...' James shrugged. 'I mean, the School Governors have more power than he does... It's a majority-rules thing, right?'

'Yeah,' Sirius muttered. 'Yeah, that's right.'

But then there was another creak and this time it was from the door. James, Lily, Sirius and Peter all spun to face it as it was slowly pushed open, the mangled frame revealing the ends of black cloaks as the two intruders were revealed.

Snape and a Ravenclaw boy stood in the door way, their wands held in front of them like daggers. Sirius recognized the pointy-faced Ravenclaw boy from his Herbology class and being part of the audience for his and Remus's first kiss in the Great Hall, but Snape... Well, he thought bitterly, he knew Snape.

'That's right,' tittered the Ravenclaw boy in forceful confidence, looking at each of their expressions with mingled fear and triumph, holding his wand in a shaking arm. 'Don't move. We've got you.'

Snape stepped forward, his robes flowing behind him and he ignored Lily's desperate face and the Sirius's, James's and Peter's looks of hatred, loathing and despise. 'Yes,' Snape said curtly, pointing his wand at each of them. 'Be still. We've been told to collect you.'

* * *

**A/N: This would have been up yesterday but when I saved the file... Well, crap happened. The "sign in" page came up so I did so but then this appeared again and nothing had saved! I had spent about two hours editing this chapter and adding bits in and nothing saved, so unfortunately, this result probably isn't as good as the other one, but I tried to replicate it as well as I could... It's fine now, I think, though some of it is a bit superfluous doesn't flow all too well. **

**Also, in the last chapter I mentioned I had lost half of it, when in reality, I realized a few hours later, I had moved it into a different word document, but after reading through it, I decided it was all pretty useless - because it contained some unnecessary extra bits.**

**Let me know what you think and I understand that there's a problem in this chapter being... there was hint that this new, random teacher would be doing something... Professor Wheatburn... *mutters darkly* I didn't mention it in the story but her hair smells like burnt wheat. **


	29. Richard Perkins

Snape's face was unreadable as he pointed his wand directly at Sirius.

'You first,' he said, nodding towards the door and as Sirius took a step forward, he stopped at the sound of a pleading moan.

'Severus...'

Lily held her hands out tentatively, as if trying to coax a dangerous creature, her eyes were wide and shaking as they danced across Snape's face. 'Sevvy...? Please... Please, Severus...'

Snape's eyes rolled but then his wand snapped to his left and with a loud bang and flash of white light, the Ravenclaw boy was thrown backwards and slumped against the door-frame. Snape pocketed his wand and brushed off his robes, staring at each of the Gryffindors in silent triumph who were staring at the Ravenclaw with disbelief. Then, Lily rushed forward and threw her arms around Snape, kissing him gratefully on the mouth.

'OI!' James yelled, pointing his wand at the two. 'Back off!'

There was a whirring sound and Lily and Snape shot apart.

'James...' Lily said but James shook his head and pushed his glasses up his nose.

'Nooope!' he exclaimed and pointed at Snape. 'Why'd you keep getting with my girlfriend? She's my girlfriend. GIRL. FRIEND.'

'James,' Peter squeaked, looking fearfully at the unconscious Ravenclaw. 'It was Lily who-'

'Lily, then!' James shouted, pointing his wand at Lily. 'Lily, why do you keep kissing him? For god's sakes! I try and I try and you always seem to be connected to him,' he jerked his head towards Snape. 'It's driving me insane! If you can't choose between both of us then you might as well leave.'

'Holy Hippogriff...' Sirius smacked his forehead, glancing down at the Ravenclaw. 'Do you need to do this now?'

There was movement at the door-frame as the Ravenclaw came to his senses. Still on the floor, he pulled out his wand he pointed it at Snape and James who were now glaring at each other so much their eyes could have exploded.

'Now, Snape! That's right, you've got him now... now... Let's go.'

He brushed off his robes and nodded at Snape eagerly. He seemed to have forgotten what had happened to him.

'BUGGER OFF!' Sirius roared, pointing out the door with his wand and yelling. The Ravenclaw jumped in surprise and tripped over his own feet. He fell to the floor with a crash, but Snape's hand turned to face the boy again, pointing it at his chest.

'Wait,' he said suddenly. 'We should keep him here. _Incarcerous_.'

Ropes threaded through the air and held the Ravenclaw in his place, wrapping around his arms and chest, legs, and mouth. Sirius's insides fell, reminded of Remus...

'I haven't finished with you!' James was ready to tear Snape to pieces but then he turned to Lily. 'Lily, girl, baby, honey...' he said. 'I love you and everything but I don't think it's fair to play off lil' Snivellus and I...'

Snape frowned at the two of them and he hung his head, 'I agree.'

'Wow, and for once he's making sense!' James exclaimed. 'So, c'mon, Lily. It's either him or me, but it can't be both.'

'Do you understand what kind of position you're putting me in?' Lily hissed. 'I can't choose on the spot!'

'Well until you do, you're not with any of us,' James finished with finality and Snape stared at Lily as she looked from Snape to James, her eyes filling with angry tears.

'For god sakes, you're both-'

'We're lovely, aren't we?'

'NO!' Lily screeched and she seemed to consider leaving the shack but thought against it and stormed to a corner of the room, cursing at lightening speed, her eyes filled with agony. The floor boards creaked beneath them and the wind whistled outside.

Sirius raised his voice, 'So what about Remus?'

'What about him?' James asked stupidly, still staring Snape down.

'What about that Memory Potion? We should make it. We need to make it. It's the only way we can save Remus.'

The silence which followed was interrupted by the Ravenclaw boy's muffled voice. Snape jerked his head towards the boy and looked down at him, his face was now a sickly, unpleasant pale colour. Snape waved his wand and the vines gagging him disappeared. The Ravenclaw boy spluttered and breathed in great, gulping breaths.

'Goodness gracious,' was all he could say and he struggled against his binds, contemplating for a moment before he shouted. 'Snape! We have to bring something – someone! - back or they'll get suspicious and come here!'

Sirius approached and knelt down in front of the Ravenclaw. Sirius was weighing what the Ravenclaw had said, calculating him.

'Are you saying you're going to help us?'

'I'm saying I can...'

Sirius's forehead creased, 'Well... What do you suggest we do?'

'I beg your pardon!' cried the boy, struggling against his binds. 'But I want something in return for this!'

Sirius groaned, and stood, looking around at Snape, James, Peter and Lily. 'So what do you want then?'

The Ravenclaw boy looked eagerly to each of the other students, as if hoping they'd back him up, 'I want you to hook me up with Emma.'

Sirius's eye twitched and his heart thudded against his chest, 'Emma?'

'If not Emma then Raven,' the boy said.

'Have you heard her voice?' Sirius objected.

'I'm quite tone deaf... If not her, then Gloria?'

'You do realize you're naming all of my ex-girlfriends?'

'Well, certainly.'

Sirius sighed and stared hopelessly at the floorboards, remembering how the boy had expressed his desires to get with each of them before he and Remus had even gotten together...

_'Yeah... Yeah! I agree! All you guys do is hang out a lot and hold hands. Sirius when you were with these girls...' he motioned to the women. 'You were snogging them around every corner! Everywhere! Showing them off in public.' he said rather bitterly, as if he wished he had been Sirius in the corridors instead._

That was a good many weeks ago... Sirius sighed, defeated. 'Okay, fine.'

The Ravenclaw boy nodded, as if the answer was expected.

'My name's Richard Perkins, by the way,' he said pompously and Sirius could have sworn if he wasn't tied up he would have held out his hand.

'Yeah... Hi. I'm Sirius,' Sirius rolled his eyes and then looked, quite seriously into Richard's eyes. 'So what's this plan of yours?'

*

Richard's plan was quite simple.

He and Snape couldn't return empty handed, so, Richard would escort Sirius, James and Peter into the castle where they could hide inside of the Room of Requirement. There, James would use Floo Powder to get to the Gryffindor Common Room and collect the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak. He would return to the Room of Requirement under the Cloak and give both the Cloak and the Marauder's Map to Richard, who would return to the Shrieking Shack and give the items to Snape and Lily.

Snape and Lily would stay behind to hide whilst they made the potion, using the Cloak and the Map to enter the castle in secrecy to collect any ingredients or books they needed. The potion, with the help of two brilliant Potion students who had studied alchemy, had the smallest chance possible of going wrong.

Sirius, James and Peter were to stay in the Room of Requirement where Richard would constantly update them on happenings in the castle. That was the plan, and it went quite successfully, aside from James lingering to leave Lily with a warning look towards Snape.

'I'll take care of her,' Snape affirmed and James let out a hollow laugh.

'Yeah, I don't doubt that. I just hate to think how much you'll take care of her,' and with a tug on his sleeve, James was pulled away from Lily, his mind and hearth aching and threatening to break.

Richard snuck the trio through empty corridors and was soon found by Professor Wheatburn who clapped her hands together and grinned admirably at Richard.

'Well done, Mr Perkins! Well done! Now, I've established a room for them downstairs for you to-'

'No,' Richard said suddenly and he looked nervously to Sirius, James and Peter. 'I mean, these three are pretty smart, I'm sure whatever you've put together they'll be able to get out of. I've got a better idea...'

'Mm?'

'The Room of Requirement,' Richard exclaimed, his eyes gleaming. 'I will get the Room to create a place where they can't get out, where nobody else can enter or exit with out my permission. This way, I'll be able to take proper control of the situation.'

He looked really confident now but Sirius thought that the wiry-haired teacher wouldn't believe him. In his amazement, he was wrong.

'Very well, very well, that's very good. Carry on, then.'

She tottered away without a further word and Sirius's suspicions had only been confirmed once they arrived at the Room of Requirement, safe inside.

'Yeah, I Confunded her,' Richard explained, hiding his pride underneath a puffed chest.

'Nice work,' Sirius said and Richard nodded.

'I'll try to figure out where that Remus fellow is being held and I'll try keep you updated.'

'Yeah, sure,' Sirius said softly. 'Thanks a lot.'

And then the door slammed shut and Sirius finally got a good look around the room.

It was similar to the room himself and Remus had devised, only the shape of the room wasn't rectangular and there wasn't a medicine cabinet. Instead, the room was circular, a fire roaring on the right, accompanied by a pot of Floo and a bathroom hidden behind the same wall. There were a couple of mattresses in the room and Sirius fell automatically onto the one on the right, before he threw himself up and stared at it. It looked familiar. Then, a rush of images flew into his head, momentarily blinding him.

The Room did look familiar. Sirius's heart skipped a beat. The circular stone room, the blood-red mattress...

This Room, or at least part of it, looked exactly like in Sirius's dream.

* * *

**A/N: This story has becoming like Neighbours... Drama... Drama... Drama. And I don't watch Neighbours, by the way, for that exact reason.**


	30. Like Some Death In That Coffee?

The only good thing about being in the Room of Requirement this time was that Sirius wasn't bored out of his mind.

Vaguely, he remembered singing Grease again and wondered he had inhaled some Floo Powder.

James, Peter and Sirius spent their time playing chess, discussing people (in other words, gossiping) and spells. Whenever James mentioned Lily Sirius had to shut him up before the water-works started. James was tough, but what he said to Lily seriously jeopardized their relationship.

'I mean, I told her to associate with either him or me, and what if she chooses _him_? She'll never speak to me again!' James repeated for about the a thousandth time and Sirius sighed and flopped back against the red mattress, sighing heavily. His gut clenched unpleasantly as he wondered what Madam Wheatburn would be doing to Remus, what she would be saying. Sirius moaned and clutched his head. Would he fall into mental collapse again? Would he be able to control it this time? Would he...

The door flew open and shut. Sirius sat up and stared at Richard as he strode into the middle of the room and addressed the three of them.

'Okay,' he began grimly, biting his lip. 'I've just seen Remus and-' He gulped and wiped his forehead of a thin sheet of sweat. '-and he's in pretty bad shape. I mean, he's in the Dungeons and it's freezing there... There's no heating, no nothing. He's in a cell and he's bound to the wall with chains. They give him water and very little food, only every time he's about to pass out. He's blindfolded too-'

It was at this point that Sirius stopped listening and withdrew into himself. _Blindfolded_. Remus had been blind once before, how would being blindfolded for that long make him feel? It would remind him of those dreams he'd had, all the bad times he'd had, I'm sure... Nobody to comfort him...

'Do you know how the potion's going?' Peter asked and the Ravenclaw shook his head.

'No, I don't, sorry. I haven't visited them. But I expect they'll come here when they're finished. They know where you are, they'll come here...'

'But the room only opens for you,' James objected. 'How are they going to get in if you're not with them?'

Richard frowned and sleeked his hair back.

'Well, I'll visit them occasionally and find out when they're due to finish the potion, then,' Richard decided, nodding at all of them, and then he said. 'Are you all having fun here?'

'As much as one can,' Sirius shrugged, turning to look at the fire. 'You can go now...'

'I'll bring up some food for you guys,' Richard said. 'Madam Wheatburn-'

'Don't say her name!' Peter squeaked, clamping his hands over his ears. 'I don't want to hear that horrible woman's name.'

'Neither do I, really,' Sirius admitted and James nodded in agreement.

'Well, her then,' Richard said quickly. 'She wants me to bring you guys food, it'll be suspicious if you got food from the kitchens yourself. So... What do you all want tonight?'

'Turkey,' said Sirius.

'Pie,' said James.

'A hamburger and fries,' said Peter.

'Oh, and some ham,' added Sirius. 'And some salad too, I suppose.'

'And bring us something to drink too, will you? Tap water gets really boring after awhile,' said James.

'Ooh! And desert!' Peter exclaimed. 'Rhubarb crumble!'

Richard looked each of them and sighed, 'I'll try and remember that.'

He smiled weakly at the three and left, the door dissolving as it shut. Sirius slumped back onto the mattress.

'I'm worried about him,' he said in a croaky voice and James and Peter knew that he wasn't talking about Richard, but Remus.

'Yeah,' James muttered. 'Yeah, we all are.'

'That's right,' Peter said, and Sirius shut his eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

*

A week and a half passed and Sirius wondered how much crap he was going to get into with the teachers for missing out on so much school. Sirius, James and Peter had moved on from talking and chess to truth-and-dare again. Only they ran out of ideas quickly, as they weren't fully into it and had no access to Veritaserum.

Richard entered the room again about mid-day and the three of them lifted their heads to to stare at him dozily. His face was flushed and dripped with anxiety.

'What?' Sirius asked and Richard sat on the stone floor and took a deep, shuddering breath.

'Do you know what day it is?'

'What are you asking us for?' James blurted out in amazement. 'We don't know!'

'No!' Richard exclaimed and he stood up again. 'There's a full-moon tonight, you know what that means, don't you?'

'I hope to god that question is rhetorical,' Sirius grumbled, but he nodded anyway. Full-moon equaled werewolf. Richard hung his head.

'What about the full-moon, though?' Peter asked.

'Yeah, Remus turns into a werewolf, big whoop,' James added.

'Well,' Richard began. 'Well, you see, Professor Wheatburn-'

They all shouted at him and Richard screamed.

'Argh! Tell hell with you all!' he yelled, but he regained his cool quickly. 'Professor Wheatburn has this special... er... plan for Remus.'

'Er... do you mean like... torture? More _effing _torture?' Sirius breathed and Richard nodded. Sirius threw himself up so he was sitting on the edge of the red-mattress, his head hung in between his knees. 'So what is she going to do?'

'Um... Something involving a hot-poker stick-' Sirius swore loudly, '-a couple of whips-' Peter whimpered, '- and a hot cup of coffee.'

James faltered, 'What was that last one?'

'A hot cup of coffee,' Richard repeated.

'What's she going to do with that?' James demanded. 'Pour it on him?'

'No,' Richard said, shaking his head, 'no, it's for her,' Sirius raised an eyebrow, and Richard sighed exasperatingly, 'You guys have been in here too long - it's so she can stay up _all night_!'

'Hey, Richard...' Sirius began, getting to his feet. 'How about, you slip some laxative in that coffee of hers?'

James snorted with laughter, 'Or some acid.'

'Some poison,' Sirius added.

'Or some _rat_-poison!'

Richard stared at each of the boys in disbelief.

'Or all of them!' Peter exclaimed Richard groaned, rubbing his eyes and stretching his arms.

'Thank god you're leaving in a few days, that's all I can say,' he murmured and headed towards the door but Sirius took a hold of him behind the collar.

'In a few days?'

'Well, yeah. You were going to put the plan into action just after the full-moon was over, right? So it's less suspicious that it's you guys and maybe that Remus escaped on his own...? Because that's when the potion's ready,' Richard stated and Sirius nodded wearily, lifting his head up to look at Richard properly.

'Yeah... Yeah... That's right. I forgot.'

'Evidently,' Richard sniffed and then he strode out of the door, slamming it behind him. The door, vanished and dissolved into stone, into thin air and Sirius collapsed on to the bed and sighed. A couple more days... A couple more days until they could save Remus... A couple more days until it was all over...

The castle was deathly silent that night.

* * *

**A/N: I like the comedic moments in this chapter, even if it is only for a little while. It puts the ha-ha back into drah-mah! Haha, sorry, that's lame.**


	31. House Elves and Ghosts

James was pacing back and forth on the morning of the fourth day, the morning after the last full moon. He kept running his fingers through his hair, ruffling it, flattening it, and then messing it up again. Sirius's bloodshot eyes followed the cycle and Peter bit his nails. This cycle continued through the day, though they took breaks to eat and exchange a few words.

'Bloody hell,' said Sirius, his hands shaking as he tried to steady them by clenching his thighs.

'Gah!' roared James, messing his hair up worse than before and his glasses falling off his nose.

'Um... What about- no - nevermind,' tittered Peter, receiving irritated looks from his cohorts.

It was nearing twilight and Sirius's cycle changed from trying to steady his shaking limbs, to standing, walking around the room, kicking the wall, and starting again. James kept going to the bathroom and fixing his hair, becoming obsessive with making sure each individual strand of hair was in the right spot and Peter, his fingernails now bloody stumps, cleaned up the room, sighed, and every time Sirius or James would sit down and get back up again Peter would get rid of each crease and fold, making sure everything was perfect. They were going insane, they were going insane with anticipation, they were ready to get out and save Remus, they were ready to make everybody lose their memories, they were ready to-

But then the door flew open and Richard flew in, the door shutting behind him. Then, there was movement behind him and the Invisibility Cloak was thrown to the floor, Snape and Lily standing with a levitating cauldron between them. There was a moment when Sirius caught each of his friend's eyes, then Richard's then Snape's and Lily's and his lip tugged into a smile.

*

'Okay, so we should get this ready for the Hogwarts dinner,' Lily explained seriously, motioning towards the cauldron which was bubbling with a thick, white substance that looked like bleached oatmeal, 'It's Hallow's Eve tonight, so this is certainly going to put a twist on things...'

Snape spoke and Lily turned to look at him, her eyebrows furrowed as James tried desperately to catch her eye, 'A few of you can bring this down to the Elves and convince them to put it in everybody's food. _Convince _them. Confund them if you have to. This is futile for the plan to work.'

'Yes,' Lily agreed, turning back towards Sirius and Peter, but not James, 'Then, once everybody's up at dinner we'll sneak down to the Dungeons and free Remus and then... Well, that should be that.'

'Sounds easy enough,' James said and Lily finally looked at him.

'Yeah, it sounds easy... but whether it will go as smoothly, we can't be sure. Also, we got some owls and sent them away to people's families. Inside the letter was a Memory Charm, so when they open the letter, it'll shoot itself out of the letter onto the reader. So then the parents are sorted out too.'

Richard looked at the circle from behind them, biting the inside of his cheek, 'So what do I do?'

'You can get us down to the Dungeons in case there are any teachers around... that way it won't seem as weird,' Sirius told him.

'As weird, yeah,' Richard murmured but then he nodded enthusiastically.

'So, let's get moving,' Lily said finally and she stood and strode towards the fire, 'Sirius, will you come with me?'

'Sure,' Sirius said, and with his wand, he brought the cauldron to hover in between him and the red-head. 'Let's do this thing.'

Then both he and Lily took a handful of Floo Powder, their hands brushing for a moment, and threw it into the fire. The flames turned green and the two, including the cauldron, entered, bellowing, '_The Kitchens, Hogwarts School_!'

The colour whirred and whistled past them and Sirius's heart thumped. A few seconds of dizzying spinning passed, then they stepped out of the fire and into the kitchens.

Immediately, all the busy Elves stopped and one of them smashed a plate in fright; they weren't used to people coming to them through the Floo Network. Steam wafted about the kitchens.

'Students!' squeaked one in fright, but then its eyes narrowed. 'But these are the students Miss Teacher wanted us to keep an eye out for!'

'Somebody contact the Mistress!' shouted one and then a few Elves cracked into nothingness. Sirius and Lily stared in horror as this happened and they rushed forward, trying to ignore it and put their plan into action.

'We need you to put this in the food for dinner,' Lily said quickly, her eyes wide and darting about the room filled with the scent of cooking vegetables. An Elf stared at her with scrutiny.

'What is it, Miss? This is a potion! What does it do?' it jumped and stood on tip-toe to look into the bubbling oatmeal substance.

'It's a...' Lily mumbled, searchingly, 'It's a potion for good luck!'

'Felix Felicis is gold, Miss!' screeched the Elf and Lily was amazed at the Elf's knowledge, even though it meant trouble for Remus.

'It's a...'

'It's a memory-potion,' Sirius said quickly, hurriedly. 'Look, a friend of ours - he let out a secret and we need everybody to forget before they really hurt him - in fact, they already have, so if you guys have any sort of brain, let alone heart, you'll see that we're right and whatever that hag Wheatburn told you is wrong.'

The Elf frowned but then shook its head, 'It's against Hogwarts policy for a Hogwarts Elf to put -'

'Fine!' Sirius snarled, 'Fine! We'll do it then!'

'This will take too long! It'll take too long!' Lily moaned. 'Ooh... This is all going wrong-'

'Well we have to do something!' Sirius exclaimed, waving his arms about. 'Who knows, Wheatburn might be on her way here at any moment! Oh, God. We need a miracle...'

And then he remembered what he had originally intended to do and he raised his voice, inwardly slapping himself for not remembering before.

'DINKS!'

_Crack!_

The pudgy squash-nosed Elf Apparated in front of him and Sirius had never been more glad to see a House-Elf. It's bloodshot eyes widened and he wiped his pudgy nose on his dirty rags.

'Sirius Black, sir!' Dinks gasped upon recognizing the boy and Sirius nodded.

'Look, Dinks, convince the Elves here to help us! A friend of ours - my boyfriend is in serious danger and the only way to help him is to put this potion,' he motioned to the floating cauldron, which he lowered to the ground with his wand, 'into the food! Please, Dinks, _please_. I know it's against Hogwarts policy but the House Elves will do it a lot quicker than us... and if you could,' he added, thinking quickly. 'Don't let Madam-What's-Her-Face-Wheatburn in here - and you mustn't tell her what we've done, understand?'

'Yes, Mr Black. Yes, of course. I'll help you,' Dinks said boldly, straightening himself and turning to the nearest Elf whom he screeched at, spit flying in their face. 'YOU HEARD HIM!'

Immediately, Elves began taking cups and spoons and hurried towards the cauldron as Lily and Sirius stood back to let them through. The Elves scooped out the white-potion and sprinkled it over salads, fries, sweets, vegetables and meats and pouring it into soups. Some even opened ovens and took food out, spread the potion over it, and putting it back in the oven. Lily looked at Dinks in amazement and then to Sirius.

'How do you know him?' Lily asked and Sirius shrugged, taking her hand and pulling her back towards the fire, throwing some more green powder into the flames.

'Long story,' he said, and as the flames turned emerald once more, they transported themselves back to the Room of Requirement.

Their eyes locked with those of James, Peter, Richard and Snape as they flew out of the fire and then, picking up the Cloak, they all burst out of the door. Sirius hid underneath the Invisibility Cloak with Snape, because they were probably the ones most looked for: Snape who betrayed them, and Sirius, Remus's lover.

They didn't look at each other as their shoulders knocked together and strode down the steps behind Richard, Lily, James and Peter, passing a few students to whom Sirius made faces at under the Cloak as Richard gave a small wave to each and explained that he was escorting them down to Madame Wheatburn.

Then they bumped into Derrek and he was more suspicious. Derrek grunted, 'Well, she's actually looking for her,' he pointed to Lily, 'because she heard of a disruption in the kitchens.'

'Yes, that's why I'm bringing her,' Richard said promptly and Derrek stared.

'Eh,' he said, but then he waved. 'Whatever, do what you want. I'm starving.'

And then he left down the corridor and the group descended to the sixth floor, then the fifth, then on the fourth they passed a few of the Hogwarts Ghosts and Sirius's heart fell. He poked James in the back and James turned, staring wildly at nothing.

'What?' he asked.

'The ghosts!' Sirius whispered. 'They still know that Remus's a werewolf! We can't feed them potion!'

'Oh, crap, you're right,' James said, his face whitening, and as the group stopped to see what the problem was, James stopped a grey figure as they floated past, 'Hey, Grey Layday, could you do us a favour?'

The Grey Lady sniffed, but didn't move, looking at his robes with a distaste.

'Could you tell the other ghosts never to mention Remus being a werewolf ever again?' James asked, figuring he'd get straight to the point.

She stared at him before finally answering.

'I find this request unlikely... Dumbledore hasn't mentioned anything to us about-'

'Well, he's not allowed to, is he?' James hissed, but then The Grey Lady floated away, looking back at James in disgust.

'Wait, no! Come back!' James exclaimed but to no avail. 'Bollocks.'

Richard beckoned James to follow, saying that if they see another ghost they'll let them know.

And so they descended to the third floor, and it was becoming harder and harder to avoid students. Sirius and Snape had to stay close behind Richard, James, Lily and Peter so they wouldn't get knocked out of the way. Then James spotted Nearly Headless Nick.

'Nick!' James yelled, 'Oi! Nicky-poo!'

'Don't call him that, now he probably won't listen to you!' Lily hissed at James but he bounded towards the ghost. Nearly Headless Nick spun around with an annoyed look on his face.

'Is there a real reason why you must call me such a name? It's either Nick, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-'

'Yeah, yeah, sorry. Right, yeah, Nick. Okay,' James was off to a bad start but he tried to put on the most innocent face he could muster, failing with the pouting lip, but the wide eyes were good. 'Nick, I'm asking you to do this out of the bottom of my heart-'

'Hmph!' said Nick.

'Well, if you could please... Please convince the other ghosts never to mention Remus being a werewolf ever again?'

'Hmm... Remus...' Nick said, looking thoughtful, though still slightly ruffled. 'He's that Lupin-boy, correct?'

'Correct,' James affirmed and he looked back at his friends anxiously.

'Well... I will do such a thing-'

'Oh, fantastic! Thank you!'

'- but only if you do something for me.'

James's face fell and the ghost continued, adjusting the his sleeves.

'I mean, after all, what can you provide me in return for this favor?'

James thought very, very quickly, well aware that his friends were watching, waiting for him.

'I'll never call you Nicky-poo again,' James suggested, hoping that would be good enough. 'Nor will I call you any other variation of your name aside from Nick and, well, your proper name.'

Nick's eyebrows rose and James knew what to say next, to buy him over. James adjusted his glasses and his insides were filled with glee, but he tried not to show it.

'And I'll never use the expression "Knock you off your hinges" ever again in your presence.'

Nick was satisfied and he nodded at James proudly, as if finally deeming him a true Gryffindor.

'Good boy,' he smiled, and then he floated away, winking back at James.

* * *

**A/N: And so it continues...**


	32. The Remus Rescue Party

They descended to the second floor, ignoring Moaning Myrtle's wails about parties, and then to the first floor, then the ground floor, which was now completely empty.

'Everybody must be in dinner,' Lily murmured.

Nobody bothered to agree with her.

They entered the dungeons and all was quiet between them.

The walls loomed and the eerie fire along the walls barely lit the dim passageway which glowed with a distinct wetness. They descended further and further into the dungeons and Sirius was beginning to grow anxious. Where was this room anyway? Where was Remus being kept?

The walls shone and glimmered. There was a light dripping noise in the background, and Sirius remembered Remus's dream... the mouth sewed shut and the eyes hollow sockets... before he knew it, Sirius's heart was racing.

Then Richard stopped in front of a door on the right. It looked like all the other doors, dark, and mysterious, a silver door knob and keyhole gleaming in the steady light.

'Wands at the ready, I think...' Richard whispered, and he pulled his wand out of his robes. James, Lily, Peter, Snape and Sirius each did the same, then, Richard muttered "_Alohamora_!" and a thin white light shone out of his wand and through the keyhole. He pushed the door open.

As they stepped inside their thoughts dimmed to silence.

*

There was were metal bars jutting out of the wall at the far end of the room, with cabinets along the walls, and an emerald green flame floated above their heads, casting a green glow on their faces. Sirius looked in the cell across the room and his heart almost jumped out of his chest. Blood stained the stone floor and specs of scarlet covered the ground in front of them. But Remus wasn't there.

Sirius looked left then right and then he saw... Emma.

Sirius heard Richard gasp but he didn't care, he stormed towards Emma, anger rising in his chest, but then he stopped, edging towards her carefully. Her aura made him feel calm and at peace, yet, that wasn't Emma's normal aura. It was strange.

His eyes focused on Emma properly and he understood.

Emma was sitting in a wooden chair, her elbows resting on the table in front of her, her head in her hands. She was smiling, smiling into a mirror which smiled back at her.

Oh, hell, Sirius thought hopelessly as he stared at the blonde, now I've done it... Emma's fallen in love with herself.

He rapped his knuckles on the desk to attract her attention, but Emma didn't look away, merely tilted her blonde hair towards him.

'Yes?'

'Emma, this is Sirius.'

'Oh,' Emma exclaimed, her eyes still locked on her own. But then she didn't say anything so Sirius spoke up again, well aware of his friends approaching cautiously behind him and whispering amongst themselves.

'Where's Remus?'

'Oh ... I...' Emma said vaguely, but then she shook her head, still not looking at them. 'That teacher took her away.'

'Where, though, Emma, where?'

In the pause that followed Sirius could hear Richard whisper to Lily behind him.

'What's wrong with her?'

Sirius pictured Lily gritting her teeth together as she said, 'I have an idea...'

Emma's sweet, symphonic voice reached Sirius's ears, though it was far away from this world, lost in her glittering reflection.

'To... Uh... She took him to the... Greenhouses...'

The Greenhouses, Sirius thought. And he remembered when he and Emma had been together in the Greenhouses... Then, ignoring Lily's stern bought of disapproval, 'I told you NOT to give her that love-potion!' he ran out of the abandoned class-room and down the halls.

Drip, drip, drip.

It was back again, that hollow-eyed specter, the sewed lips, the deathly pale skin, the broken arm, the green light above their heads... then Sirius's dream... The Greenhouse... Greenhouse Two... Sirius was covered in vines which wrapped themselves tight around him... Remus staring at him through the gap sadly... turning into a werewolf... biting into his skin... killing him...

He reached the Entrance Hall and his shoes tapped against stone, his eyes flicking towards the Great Hall's doors. There was a feast in there... sweet, succulent food... filled with a Forget Potion, an unpleasant white bubbling...

He pushed open the doors of The Entrance Hall and strode out into the dark, cold grounds, the sun waving goodbye over the hills. His shoes met dirt and he shivered, wrapping his arms around his torso, his hands under his armpits. It was cold outside, and Hogwarts looked so much more welcoming with the glowing orange lights and... Sirius's gaze flew back towards the castle and he looked at the window on the tenth floor, the one he and his friends had jumped out of... It was back to normal. The glass gleamed in the twilight.

Sirius frowned and sprinted towards the Greenhouses, an icy cold burning his throat. The Hogwarts doors opened and shut once in the distance and his Remus-Rescue Party followed him twenty feet behind, shouting after him, yelling...

Sirius stood in front of the Greenhouses, their white doors and metal caged roofs sitting eerily against the trees. On the doors were three gold plaques which read Greenhouse 1, Greenhouse 2, and Greenhouse 3.

Sirius looked at each of them and didn't need to guess which door had Remus inside, because he knew, deep inside, which it was. His sweaty palm met cold door and he pushed the door to Greenhouse Two open.

The silence was stunned as the door shut behind him. It was warm inside. He could hear some leaves ruffling and the slithering movements of the Venomous Tentacular sliding its spiky, red feelers around the Greenhouse ledges. Sirius took a step forward and a voice spoke out of the darkness.

'Sirius Black.'

He turned towards the noise, and faced a dark corner of a room. It was Madam Wheatburn, he knew it. She laughed cruelly at his lack of speech, stepping out of the darkness into a ray of dim light from the thin windows high up the wall. Her bushy eyebrows were raised. Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it at her.

'Did you know that Runes can be applied non-verbally to spells to increase their power, Mr Black?' she asked and a vein throbbed in Sirius's temple. Where was Remus? He strained to look through the shadows... Remus was in there somewhere... Then he remembered that he was being spoken to, and with some small hope in his chest, he replied, begging that maybe Remus could hear him... that he would wake up... make his presence known.

'That is part of our Ancient Runes Curriculum, yes, I do,' said Sirius.

'Been doing your homework, I see.'

'I always do my homework,' Sirius grumbled, still peering into the darkness, trying to force his eyes to see. She laughed again, an irritated jolt slapping Sirius's arm... Nothing was _funny_...

'Yes, well, part of those lessons were covered whilst you were away,' she continued. 'Do you know why I'm in Greenhouse Two, Mr Black?'

Sirius's eyes flitted from the dirty floor to her menacing face, and said, 'To spite me?'

She laughed again, and Sirius had an urge to punch her in the face.

'Nature takes on many different Runes in their growth, they twist and turn and create different symbols.'

'But everything does that,' Sirius frowned, the corner of his lip twitching. Don't talk to me like I'm your student, Sirius thought fiercly, you're not a teacher, you're not my superior.

Professor Wheatburn smiled cruelly, 'Yes, but do you know why I chose here in particular?' and when Sirius didn't answer she said, 'Vines. Vines, vines, vines. They take on the most intricate shapes, many of them Runes... For example... Opila... which stands for Separation.'

'Yes, but vines which twist around each other can take on a number of different Runes such as Berkana, Dagaz, Jera, Mannaz, maybe even Sowelu, which mean New Beginnings, Transformation, Gradual Success, Destiny and Good Fortune, respectively. But you can't compare nature to having one Rune only, if they take on one, in a way, they will take on all of them.'

'Hmm... That's very wise,' she commented, flicking something off the back of her palm, an insect, maybe. 'I suppose you were top student for a reason...'

And then she raised her wand.

Just as she shot a spell towards him, Sirius ducked, the spell skimming over his head.

_'Crucio!'_

'That's illegal!' Sirius cried, his arms over his head, breathing in dirt and coughing. 'Your aim sucks, you know!'

'Well, that won't do will it? _CRUCIO!_'

Sirius screamed and writhed in pain as the spell hit. His lungs were splintering and ready to burst, all the muscles in his body were on fire, his heart thumped a desperate battle against his ribs which felt like they were going to break, and at the back of it all, Sirius wondered, was this how it felt to turn into a werewolf?

Then the door flew open and there was a barking noise as a great black dog jumped over Sirius's body and tackled Madam Wheatburn.

'BLASTED DOG!' she yelled.

Sirius thought he was hallucinating. A great black dog? That was his Animagus Form! Was he dead? Had he somehow had an out-of-body experience and changed into a dog in the same time? He moaned and struggled to lift himself up, thinking of the dog and making a huge, complicated mess of his head.

'_CRUCIO!_' shrieked Madam Wheatburn and then she shrieked in fright. 'Not you, _werewolf_, not-'

Thud. Something hit her and she fell to the floor.

Sirius scrambled to his feet and he stared at Madam Wheatburn's body, a trickle of blood oozing out of her head. Then, Sirius looked to the black dog as it pawed the ground next to him, its tongue lolling out and big brown eyes shining at him. Then, his eyes met the figure standing over the Professor's body, light and shadow casting a checkerboard over him.

'Remus,' Sirius gasped.

Remus had a sheet of green fabric over his eyes, splattered with blood. This robes were torn down his chest and Sirius could count the burn marks down his skin... one, two, three, four, five... There was a pink slash trailing around his neck into the crook and across his shoulder, there were thick ropes around his chest and legs, holding him together, and a final rope around his mouth, his teeth bared over the gag.

When the boy heard his name, his lip tugged upwards, distorted by the bind around his head, and then, collapsed to his knees, his breathing wheezy. The dog trotted forward and licked Remus's face affectionately, and Remus wheezed a laugh.

That should be me... Sirius thought sadly as the dog sniffed Remus's face. It should be me...

Sirius's feet propelled him forward and the dog's teeth were now tight around a vine crushing Remus's stomach, growling and pulling at it. When Sirius was next to the dog, and in front of Remus, the dog looked up and accidentally, let go. Remus went sprawling back towards the wall, the green vine snaking across his chest and middle, holding him firmly... keeping him hostage...

'Remus!' Sirius shouted, and he ran forwards and almost hit the wall head-on. His hands clasped around the vines and tugged, the plant's grip getting tighter and tighter around Remus's waist. 'Get _off _you stupid plant!'

Then the dog was at his side, holding Sirius's wands in its jaws, and as the dog dropped it to the floor, he picked it up, wiping the saliva on his robes before pointing it at the binds like a sword, ready to slice them to pieces. Flames shot out of his wand like a dragon's breath and the vines whimpered, slithering away as quickly as possible as they charred and sizzled. Remus was free. He was free from its grip, and Remus wavered for a moment before falling forward.

Sirius caught him.

* * *

**A/N: The Rune information I got from a book of mine called Wiccan Healing by Sally Morningstar, because I'm quite interested in that sort of thing. Anyway... To be continued...**


	33. Return of the Hogsmead Dog

'You alright?' Sirius asked, struggling to put his wand back into his robes, holding Remus to his chest in the other.

'I'm...' Remus panted through the gag, his blindfold shielding his true feelings from Sirius's eyes. 'I'm brilliant.'

'Are you really?'

No answer. Remus became limp in his arms and Sirius gently laid the boy to rest against the floor, the dog wagging its tail eagerly next to them.

Sirus's fingers slipped over the blind-fold and lightly pulled the fabric off Remus's face, sliding it over his brow and away from his hair. It dropped to the floor.

Remus's eyes were shut. He had passed out, but he looked so peaceful... Sirius's eyes watered at the sight, then -

Bam!

The door to Greenhouse Two flew off the wall and a tall figure with billowing robes and a long, gray beard stepped in and turned the light on. With a click, the lights buzzed to a start, and the wizard's identity was revealed. Sirius knew they were now safe.

It was Albus Dumbledore.

'My, of all places to be whilst dinner is on,' he said to Sirius.

Sirius smirked and gave Dumbledore a small wave from where he crouched, staring anxiously at Remus's face, 'Hello, sir.'

'Yes, Mr Black, hello to you too,' he said and he strode past Sirius and Remus, patting the dog lightly on the head, and arriving over Professor Wheatburn. 'Ah, Elsbeth,' he sighed, shaking his head whimsically. 'And on your last day too.'

'What?' Sirius blurted out, his head turning to the wizard before returning to Remus's, his eyes darting over his face. 'Is she being sacked?'

'She already has been, as you say, "sacked",' said Dumbledore calmly, and he pointed his wand at the wiry-haired teacher, and murmured, '_Enervate_.'

All the muscles in Sirius's body contracted at once and he braced himself as the teacher's eyelids fluttered open.

'Hello, Elsbeth,' smiled Dumbledore to the witch and she sat up, looking around wildly.

'Dumbledore!' she breathed, but then she noticed Remus and pointed, her eyes bulging out of her head, 'The werewolf attacked me, Headmaster! _He attacked me_!'

'Well,' Dumbledore said kindly, helping her to her feet. 'Well, I can't say he wasn't provoked. After all, he's all tied up.'

His eyes twinkled and Madam Wheatburn cried out in frustration, 'He hit me with his head! _His head_!'

'It's no wonder he fainted, then...' said the Headmaster smoothly, and then he turned to face the witch properly. 'Miss Wheatburn, it causes me little grief to say this, however... I'm going to have to ask you to leave.'

Dumbledore patted her on the shoulder and Madam Wheatburn shrieked in anger, cursing foully as she stormed out of the door, it slamming behind her and echoing around the Greenhouse as she left.

'What about the dog?' Sirius asked suddenly, glancing at the great black dog who barked at his side. 'Isn't that the dog from Hogsmead?'

But before Dumbledore could reply, Sirius heard a moan below him and he bent over Remus's face as his eyes slid open. His eyes... Sirius thought with relief, they're not _white_...

Remus's eyes were, instead, a brilliant amber and they shone and glimmered with the same life Sirius had.

'You're okay...' Sirius murmured, and his fingers brushed the strands of hair off Remus's forehead, his arm shaking uncontrollably.

'I am,' agreed Remus, trying to push himself up, but failing, falling back down again with a thump. 'Could you un-tie me, please?'

'Sure,' Sirius said softly and he scrambled to reach Remus's feet. His bare feet were covered in scorch marks and Remus winced as Sirius burned the vines away from his feet with his wand. Red marks remained around his ankles where the vines had been as Sirius flung the vines over his shoulder.

Then Sirius crawled to Remus's waist, slipping his hands underneath Remus's back and pushing him upwards so Remus was resting on a diagonal. Remus's hands were tied together and they hung limply, the back of his palms touching, a single slash across his left palm and fingers. 'Why did she-?'

Dumbledore watched the two with a fascinated, yet sad smile, his eyes observing Sirius's gentle movements and the small twitch of Remus's palm as Sirius ran his finger over the cut.

'She sliced your hand open...' Sirius murmured, 'And burned you, and whipped you... she's... she's a... she's a _masochist_.'

Remus frowned, his hair flopping over his face again as Sirius took away the binds holding his hands together and threw them over his shoulder into the garden behind him, 'I suppose she had a lot of upset inside...'

'Upset,' Sirius grumbled. 'You mean bitterness over her _fiancé_! But she didn't have to do all this to you-'

'She did,' Remus said sadly. 'She did. If she didn't, she would have gotten worse... She needed an outlet to release her pain and I was it... Just like you were my outlet with that Potion... It had to happen... and I'm glad it happened.'

'You're happy she did this?' Sirius repeated as Remus sat up, resting on his elbows behind him. 'You're happy she hurt you?'

'Well, in a way... Yes,' Remus sighed heavily, pushing his hair out of his face with his forearm which was covered in black and purple bruises. 'Because you came to rescue me.'

'Damsel in distress,' Sirius's mouth twitched, staring passively at the bruises. He got to his feet and helped Remus up, but Remus stumbled and cringed at the burns at the bottom of his feet (not to mention the other injuries that had been inflicted). Sirius continued, 'who knocked a teacher out with their head... Well done.'

Remus smiled and the two stared at each other, tired and exhausted, fully ready to return to the castle.

As Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore left the Greenhouse, the dog barked wildly and wagged its tail, bounding out of the Greenhouse like it was missing out on a party. Sirius watched the dark fur with an inward smile. It was the dog from Hogsmead... He knew it now... And it had saved them. He was thankful, but he wasn't sure the dog would understand.

As Dumbledore locked the Greenhouse behind him Sirius spun around, 'Where are the others?'

'They're here too?' Remus asked, his weary eyes widening a fraction.

Sirius's ears pricked and he heard over the wind, rustling leaves and a hooting owl, a muffled tangled web of voices from inside the other two Greenhouses. Immediately, he flew to Greenhouse One and tugged at the door handle, but it was locked. Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it at the gold lock, '_Alohamora_!'

The door opened and James, Lily and Snape tumbled out of it. Lily landed on top of James and Snape stared at them from behind, and walked over them.

'Remus,' Snape said blankly, staring at the mousy-haired teenager. Remus gave him a small smile and then Snape, with a final glance towards Lily, and a quick look and nod at Dumbledore, strode up to the castle, his robes billowing behind him.

James and Lily got to their feet and looked at each of them, Lily, glancing, her forehead creased, towards Snape's retreating form.

'Blimey! _Dumbledore_!' James gasped, his arm wrapping around Lily's waist, who was bumped into him. 'Fine evening for a stroll in the grounds, isn't it, sir?'

'It's nice to see you too, James,' Dumbledore chuckled. Then the Headmaster looked at Sirius and nodded at the other Greenhouse. Sirius understood, and he bolted to Greenhouse Three and forced the other door open. Richard and Peter climbed out of it, Peter squeaking at the sight of Dumbledore and Richard stopping dead in his tracks and clearing his throat.

'Headmaster Dumbledore, sir,' Richard blabbed, 'it's an honour... it's really an-'

'Oh, shut up, Richard,' Sirius growled.

Richard was silenced, but still stared at Dumbledore with large, admiring eyes.

'Well,' Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. 'I expect you already know about this, but there was a very curious happening at the school a few moments ago... Not a soul has mentioned Mr Remus Lupin being a werewolf at all...' his eyes twinkled over his half-moon spectacles and the students stared at him, 'I also happen to know, that you all slipped a Memory Potion into the Hogwarts Feast,' Lily looked guiltily around the circle, but Dumbledore seemed unperturbed and continued, 'So, I have not eaten since lunch-time. I am, however, very hungry, so I will leave each of you now and get a quick nibble from the kitchens. Farewell, and good evening to you all.'

He left without a further word, his magnificent purple robes flowing out behind him and Richard mumbled a, 'Goodnight Albus Dumbledore, sir,' under his breath.

Remus limped to Sirius's side and took his hand in his own. Sirius turned to Remus and almost jumped in surprise at his closeness, his nose inches from his own, 'Er... Yes?' asked Sirius and Remus smiled wearily into Sirius's face.

'Can you take me to the Hospital Wing?'

Sirius nodded and his eyes returned again to the marks on his chest and his neck, 'Sure.'

And as they turned to return to the castle, Richard yelled at them at the same time as James, Lily and Peter all cried out for explanations. Explanations for what happened in Greenhouse Two. Where did the dog come from? What happened to Madam Wheatburn? What happened to _him_? And how did he save Remus?

But Richard's voice flew over the Gryffindor's and it seemed more important than explanations at this point, 'What about our deal? You said that you were going to hook me and... y'know...'

Sirius waved his hand, not even bothering to turn around as he escorted Remus up the path, 'I'll get to that! I'll get to that... never rush a genius!'

The dark-haired Gryffindor wrapped his arm around Remus's waist and they walked up to Hogwarts School, the dark castle glowing with orange lights, welcoming their return. And as the dog barked and ran over the hill, Sirius felt, finally, that he could rest.


	34. Other Side of the Deal

Remus returned to the Great Hall the next morning, doing a small twirl as he approached the table, glad to finally be back, alive, healthy, his secret safe.

'Good morning,' Sirius smiled and he pushed Peter across the bench to make room. Peter bumped into a burly-looking Gryffindor next to him and Remus sat in between Peter. Sirius smiled (with slight disgust) across the table at James and Lily who were busy snogging.

'This wasn't what I was expecting for my morning greeting,' said Remus reluctantly, but he ignored the happy, kissing couple and stole a piece of ham off of Sirius's plate. Sirius mocked offense but took some salad from Remus's fork and shoved it into his mouth.

'What?' Sirius asked, his mouth full, as Remus stared at him, 'We're sharing.'

'Yes, yes... I can see that,' Remus chuckled and he frowned. 'You know that Emma's in the Hospital Wing, now...'

'Oh,' Sirius muttered and James and Lily finally unstuck themselves.

'Did you really give her that love-potion?' James blurted out.

Sirius nodded.

'You're a nutter.'

'No,' Sirius waggled a finger at him, '_She _was a nutter. I turned her into a human being. Only, now she's a bit more like-'

'Like Narcissus?' interrupted Lily . 'The man who drowned himself because he stared at his reflection and loved himself too much? He fell into the lake.'

'Yeah!' Sirius said triumphantly. 'That guy!'

'Well, as long as she doesn't drown...' Lily murmured, looking at James weakly, 'I suppose it's okay... But shouldn't she be in St Mungo's?'

'She will be if it doesn't wear off after a week,' Remus explained, pouring some pumpkin juice into his goblet. 'They have to keep confiscating mirrors from her... it's a bit sad really... but then they have to give her one back or she takes all her clothes off and -'

'Oh, god, please!' James retorted, motioning to his plate which was piled up with sausages, cooked tomatoes, hash browns and scrambled eggs which he clearly hadn't touched. 'I'm trying to eat here!'

Sirius slid his right hand across the bench and touched Remus's hand. Remus stilled with surprise but then smiled, looking across at Sirius, kept his hand there, so they were just barely touching.

'What about Snape?' Sirius asked to James and Lily. 'I mean, we never really heard what happened but we... kind of got the gist of it.'

'What about Snape?' James repeated, putting an arm around Lily's waist and pulling her towards him affectionately. 'He's out of our lives now, that's what.'

'No, but...' Sirius continued, 'What happened in the Greenhouse?'

'Maybe you'll never find out...' James said mysteriously, fluttering his eyelids. 'Maybe it'll be another mystery that will never be solved, just like-'

'We were in the Greenhouse and-' Lily began to tell her story but then she was interrupted.

'Excuse me.'

Lily looked up and past Sirius's head and Sirius, Remus and Peter turned to look at the culprit.

It was Richard. He was looking at Sirius intently. Sirius gulped.

'What about our deal?' Richard began.

'In progress, in progress...' Sirius murmured, grinning boyishly at Richard who looked unimpressed.

'When is it going to actually happen?' Richard growled, crossing his arms and looking around the Great Hall at two of his possible trophies, Raven and Gloria. He sighed. 'Well?'

'Well,' Sirius stated. 'I think we should wait for Emma to get better before we decide that one, don't you think? At the moment she's stuck in her Hospital Bed making sweet love to herself -' Richard's face burned a vicious red. '- and to be honest I don't want to go near her at the moment. And, who knows, maybe she'll never get better... So, no deal for you until Emma's better.'

'But that wasn't part of the condition!' Richard cried. 'It was either Emma, Raven or Gloria - one of the three so come on! Get up and get moving!'

Sirius glanced at Remus, Peter, Lily and James and rolled his eyes, then he turned to Richard.

'I'll tell you what... Let's wait until Emma gets out... and I'll get you with _all three_! How does that sound?'

'I...' Richard faltered, though clearly imagining himself with all three beautiful girls. 'I... I don't believe you,' Sirius frowned and Richard continued, 'Let's make an Unbreakable Vow, that way you'll be sure to do it.'

'Oh, hell,' Sirius dropped his fork. It clattered on his plate. 'Not another one of those bloody things. I'm sick of you people and not taking me seriously! C'mon! Let's be friends here,' Sirius held out his hand. 'I'll shake on it, but I'm not giving you any more than that, do you understand?'

Richard stared at Sirius's outstretched hand, which had only moments before been in connection with Remus's.

'Very well,' Richard sighed and he and Sirius shook hands.

Richard's handshake was firm even though his fingers were long and his hand was skinny, and when they pulled away, they both nodded at each other.

Richard strode away, a determined look on his face and Sirius turned back to his friends, and told an interested James, Lily and Peter about the Unbreakable Vow, Remus adding comments occasionally, as they told the story of how he and Remus got together. James, Lily and Peter listened with interest as the story was told with animated motions from Sirius, and accurate descriptions from Remus.

*

It was Christmas Day when Emma was back. She had been sent from Hogwarts, to St Mungo's, back to Hogwarts, said to have returned to a normal state of mind, and healthy level of self-admiration.

When Sirius woke that morning in the Gryffindor common-room, he walked calmly to each of his fellows' beds and hit their faces with his pillow. But when he arrived at Remus, Remus hit him in the face before he could attack and Sirius yelled as his face met feather pillow. As Remus pulled the pillow back to his chest, Sirius looked impressed.

'You do that every year,' Remus said, smiling, 'you can't expect me to fall for it again, do you?'

'Fair point...' Sirius muttered and he took Remus's hand and pulled him to his feet, kissing him quickly on the lips. Then, he turned to the rest of his dormitory and roared, 'MERRY CHRISTMAS, YOU GRYFFINDOR SODS! GET OUT OF BED NOW OR YOU'LL MISS JAMES CHANGING INTO HIS CLOTHES.'

Each response was filled with equal irritation but they crawled out of bed and climbed into their clothes before pulling apart their presents that were piled at the foot of each bed.

Afterward, they descended to the Great Hall for a Christmas breakfast which was absolutely fantastic. The hall was decorated with large snow-covered pine trees, and each table pulled crackers which exploded with a hat, a joke (a lame joke, said Sirius), and a small gift.

It was when Sirius and Remus pulled their cracker apart that Sirius saw, through the smoke, the blonde girl leaving the hall followed closely by Gloria and Raven, holding presents in their hands. Sirius grit his teeth together and sprung from the table before Richard could approach him, but Richard had left his table and followed Sirius, watching him a good ten meters away as the rest of the school rose at their tables, ready to return to their houses for a Christmas Inter-House Party.

Sirius caught up with Emma, Gloria and Raven just outside the hall and he eyed their unwrapped presents with a raised eyebrow.

'What are these?' Sirius asked, pointing to each article of clothing with a raised eyebrow. 'Wait - no! These are-'

'These are pairs of your underwear,' Gloria's face lit up with a smile. 'If you remember, when each of us were going out with you-'

'We stole a pair of underwear each,' Raven added, throwing back her silky black hair. Emma nodded and when she spoke, Sirius knew she was a different person. She was balanced now. She wasn't sex-obsessed nor was she obsessed with herself either. She was finally, Sirius admitted to himself, normal.

'I took your black ones,' Emma pointed to the pair in Raven's hands and Raven pointed to the pair in Gloria's.

'I took those white ones with the green dragons on them.'

And Gloria motioned to the pair in Emma's hands which were white with red hearts on them. 'And I took these ones. Why did you have these again?'

Emma, Raven and Gloria all looked at Sirius with intent faces.

'It was more a joke thing... Like, in all the cartoons almost all characters have a pair like this and I thought it was funny... so...'

Raven giggled, 'That's so cute!'

'It is, isn't it?' Gloria agreed.

'One-hundred-per-cent,' Emma said and Sirius smiled at them, looking at each of his old pairs of underwear with respect.

'So what are you doing with them?'

'Oh,' Raven exclaimed. 'We exchange them every year. It's this weird kind of tradition we've got going, and then by the end of school... well, we'll keep the ones we get given.'

'Eh,' Sirius waved a hand, not really caring what three girls did with his underwear. 'Sure, whatever,' then he smacked his forehead, he kept getting distracted! 'Actually, girls, I have a Christmas present for you. Or rather, I'd like you to do a favor for me.'

'What do we get in return?' Gloria asked, putting her hands on her hips.

'You get... er...' Sirius mumbled. 'You get to keep my underwear! I won't steal it off you.'

The three girls exchanged looks and then stared at the fabric they stuffed into their robes, 'Sure. So what's this favor?'

'Okay, so,' Sirius began, 'you know Richard Perkins?'

'The proud one?'

'With the pointy face?'

'He asked me out once...'

'Yeah, him,' Sirius told them, ushering them in closer. 'Give him a little... you know... Christmas present from me, will you? Give the guy some lovin'.'

The three girls looked thoughtful for a moment and then the doors to the Great Hall burst open and Richard stormed out.

'Are you done yet? Oh...' he stopped at the sight of the three girls, looking embarrassed.

Then, the three girls approached him and Emma threw her arms around him into a tight embrace. Then, Gloria gave him a kiss on the cheek and Raven caressed his face and pecked him on the lips.

'Richard, I don't really think we've met. I'm Raven.'

'I'm Emma!'

'And I'm Gloria.'

'We've got a little something for you... A Christmas Present...' Raven exclaimed, breathing into his face and Sirius saw Richard's face mixed with surprise and excitement from behind Raven's shoulder. Sirius grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up as Richard was pulled by the girls across the Entrance Hall and up the stairs.

Then, there was a bang from inside the Great Hall and a crowd of people washed out of it wearing hats they had got in crackers and holding presents they had received earlier that morning. They were all talking about their Inter-House parties as they crowded the hall and flew up the stairs, the Slytherins passing the steps and heading to the dungeons. Sirius was lost in the crowd.

Then, he spotted Remus and then there was another bang. Sirius took Remus's hand and watched as two figures appeared amongst the throng, two tall students. James and Snape. Sirius caught Remus's eye as James yelled at the Slytherin.

'YOU TRIPPED ME ON PURPOSE!'

'I don't know why you care,' Snape shrugged, trying to mix in with the crowd. 'You walked into my foot and clumsily tripped over. It's not my fault you're un-coordinated.'

And then there was another bang and Snape fell to the ground. Now the crowd was thinning and a circle appeared around the two boys, some students watching, whilst others pushed past.

As James raised his wand again and Snape threw himself off the ground, Lily jumped in between the two and shouted, 'Can't you two be _civil_ for once? It's _Christmas_!'

'NEVER!' James roared but Lily pushed his chest and James stopped and stared at Lily sincerely, 'It's Christmas... Please, let me get him one last time...?'

'Er...' Lily's voice shook and she looked over her shoulder at Snape, 'No?'

'Wrong answer!' James exclaimed and he sprinted after Snape who sped upstairs. Lily shrugged at Snape as he glanced at her with a worried expression. Lily mouthed an apology and Snape gave her a small smile. The two sped out of sight at the top of the stairs and the circle that had engulfed the two teenagers thinned and vanished.

'We're missing a party!' exclaimed Sirius suddenly, breaking the silence, and he looked towards Remus and Lily. 'Where's Peter?'

'I'm here, thank you!' Peter said suddenly as he pushed through the large doors to the Great Hall. 'I didn't want to be hit by any of James's spells... He's good with hexes, you know.'

'Yeah, we know,' said Lily and then she pointed to the ceiling, looking to each of them with a grin. 'Last one there's a rotten egg? I've gotten really good at Human Transfiguration so, you know, I'm being quite literal.'

Then they all sprinted up the steps and made their own separate ways to the Gryffindor common room, casting spells at each other as they crossed paths. They laughed with glee as they pushed past students, even when they tripped over their own feet landed flat on their face.

*

'Sirius,' Remus said.

Remus had approached Sirius during the big Gryffindor common room party later that evening, big red and gold banners painting the walls.

Food and beverages were scattered across a table on the side of the room, people threw last-minute presents at each other, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the room. The Gryffindors were discussing new things to do in the holidays, spells they'd read about, events occurring at home, the test papers they were going to get over the next few days and relationships in construction.

Sirius turned to Remus next to the big Christmas tree set up by the fire, and Remus pushed something into his hand. Sirius looked at the tiny wooden box and opened it, his eyebrows rising at Remus. The box was empty.

'Is it invisible?' he asked.

'No,' Remus grinned. 'It's just a box.'

'Well,' Sirius pocketed it, an arm curling in the air. 'What's the point of that?'

'It's a way of saying... As long as you're here, my life will never be empty,' said Remus simply and Sirius looked confused.

'But the box is empty!'

'Yes, because that isn't my life, it's a box,' Remus explained, taking the box out of Sirius's pocket and opening and closing it in front of his face. 'See?'

'No, but I get that... But why give a me an empty box then?'

'To remind you that my life _isn't_ an empty box,' Remus smirked and Sirius shook his head, laughing, and snatched the box out of Remus's grasp, placing it back in his robes.

'Well,' Sirius said suddenly, thoughtfully, and he took the box out again and, it shuddering in his hands for a moment, snapped it in half.

Remus's eye twitched as he did this, and looked like he was going to shout at him. But then Sirius handed Remus half of the broken wooden box and smiled encouragingly at him, 'I didn't really get an empty box for you so... here's half of your box.'

'What's the point of that?' Remus asked, taking it and staring at it.

'Er... To show that even though I didn't buy you a proper Christmas Present, I'll still be able to improvise,' but Remus's jaw fell open and Sirius laughed, continuing, 'It's to show that my life isn't complete without you, how's that?'

'That sounds improvised,' Remus said blandly. 'But it'll do.'

Then, over the chatter of people, James yelled at them, half wrapped around Lily in a corner of the room.

'Mistletoe!'

Immediately Sirius and Remus's heads jerked upwards. Then, Sirius looked around at the people staring at them with anticipation, and then to the left, where Peter stood. Peter's wand was out and it was quivering, pointing at the plant which hung in mid-air above their heads.

'Peter,' Sirius muttered darkly and Remus shrugged. James cheered and Lily, smiled, as Sirius and Remus's lips met into a warm kiss which lasted only a few seconds. Someone whistled in the crowd.

'Mistletoe... Pff...' Sirius grumbled waving his arm at Peter and then the crowd. 'YOU CAN GO NOW!'

But then Sirius was winded as Remus threw himself into Sirius's arms and kissed him heartily on the mouth. There were a few wolf-whistles from around the room as Sirius kissed back, their mouths moving fervently and enthusiastically together.

There was the sound of a few Christmas crackers exploding and the excited, cheerful chatter of holidays.

When they drew apart and those few nearby them in the common room cheered, Sirius and Remus wrapped their arms around each other and stared into each others eyes. In that moment, they were both thinking the same thing, the same ironic thing. Thinking back over the weeks, over the months, and back-tracking to the very beginning, how the whole thing started. In that moment, Sirius and Remus knew they were on the same-wave length, that their minds were connected, three words echoing in their minds, the world zoning out into a peaceful hum. Amber and gray eyes read each other, smiles creeping across their lips as they mouthed those three words, voicing, under their breath, the start of their journey, their reason for being. The thing that brought them together.

The Unbreakable Vow.

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THE END

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**A/N: So, that's the end of the story. I hope you all liked it. This story was just as much as a journey for you as it was for me. Again, now that the story's over, feedback would be nice. A writer likes to feel appreciated. And those who have added the story to your Story Alert but haven't yet reviewed the story, I would love to hear from you guys as you just seem like passive blobs.**

**I'm going to be moving away from fanfiction for awhile and delving into a original fiction, properly, for the first time in about a year. Properly meaning it wasn't for school. This story I'm about to write (continue, really, I wrote the first section on my laptop) is about a character named Hermes and... well, you'll just have to read it when I put it up. It would mean the world for me if you had a peek at my Original Fiction too, but I doubt that'll happen with lots of you, because you're all FanFic-ers. :)**

**Anyway, to end on a happy note, thank you for reading and supporting me through writing. You're all marvellous.**


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